Quicksilver
by Glacia92
Summary: The Quicksilver, a long-lost artifact created by the Six, is found by Iris on her hunt to get Noctis a suitable present. What she didn't expect, however, were the consequences of her discovery: she joins the prince and his friends on their adventure, as she unfolds the stone's true powers and a certain Blondie carves his way into her heart. *Warning: major spoilers from the game!*
1. Intro

**Hello everyone! So, a few things before we get started :) This is my very first fanfic, and I wasn't entirely sure whether to publish it or not. But I just love Prompto and so I decided to give this story a shot! What you need to know is that the story itself is finished, because I want to make sure it has an ending before publishing it with the risk of interrupting the updates. So if you like it, let me know how often you would like me to update as this story is very long, and I am working on a sequel (I had to split the story into two parts, because it was getting out of hand xD). The story has a bit of a slow start, but it will pick up soon :)  
Also, English is not my first language, so I apologize in advance for any grammar mistake/spelling you may find!  
That's all for now, enjoy it!**

Warning: major spoilers from the game!  
I do not own Final Fantasy or its characteres!

* * *

Iris's dream was pretty much simply that: only a dream. Moreover, a hopeless one.

She had started daydreaming about the subject of her fantasies since she had discovered the joys and sorrows of love.

Like all of the Amicitia family members, she had grown up in direct contact with the royal family itself, often finding herself wandering around the innumerable corridors and rooms of the Citadel.

The crown prince, Noctis, was only a few years older than her, and they often played together as children. He was a reserved kid, with dark hair and deep blue eyes, and as unruly as any child with such a grave responsibility on their shoulders at such a young age can be.

He was always surrounded by elder people, all in charge of keeping an eye on him, protecting him at the cost of their lives.

She could tell he had never liked that sort of treatment. He despised royalty and all he ever wanted was a normal and happy childhood, with normal friends and normal activities suitable to a child his age.

Instead, he was forced to learn how to defend himself, use weapons, speak and act as a true king-to-be and be surrounded by serious-looking adults all the time.

And so, Iris knew she played an utmost important role in his life: she often sneaked into the Citadel and met him at the woods just outside to play together and forget about his royal duties.

He was different when he was with her: he laughed heartily and revealed his true self.

And so, Iris thought she was special. Until the day she ran off to the Citadel to meet with the prince, as was their custom. She had been waiting at their secret spot for hours, until dusk, but he never arrived.

When she came back home, she found her older brother Gladio speaking on the phone. He seemed agitated.

"Is he alright? And the king?" he said, trying to keep his composure "Very well. That is good to hear. Yes, I'll be there before scheduled tomorrow. Bye".

He hung up the phone and only then noticed his little sister had returned home.

"Gladdy" she said with her small childish voice "Did something happen?"

Gladio sighed in defeat, knowing she had heard the conversation and could not lie to her now.

"The prince has been attacked by a Daemon. But he is fine, he has been rescued though it will take a while before he recovers completely" he replied tiredly, running a hand through his short, black hair.

There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but she realized her brother would not want to discuss the matter further than that, as he was already on his way to bed.

How did a Daemon manage to attack him? Was he hurt? How long would it take until she could see him again?

She sighed heavily and decided to go to bed, what with a new week starting the following day, which meant school and homework.

She found it difficult to fall asleep, though, her thoughts always wandering off to Noctis. She decided she would sneak into the Citadel after school and check up on him. With that, she grinned resolutely and closed her eyes.

The school day had seemed lighter than usual to Iris, who kept thinking about her plan later that day. When the bell rang for the last time that Monday afternoon, she grabbed her bag and ran with a quick wave of her hand to her friends.

Her school was only a few blocks away from the Citadel and, when she arrived, she entered and asked to see prince Noctis.

"I am afraid the prince will not be able to meet you today, Iris" said a guard kindly.

"Why not?" she answered, a bit more stubbornly than she had intended.

"Why, because he is still convalescent from the attack! And because he is to meet Lady Lunafreya shortly" the guard answered with a smile.

"Lady… who?" Iris asked again, a strange feeling deep within her stomach.

"Lady Lunafreya Nox of House Fleuret, his wife-to-be!" replied the guard enthusiastically "All the Lucians have been looking forward to this very moment!"

"I see…Thank you" mumbled Iris before turning around and silently leaving the castle.

Once outside, she noticed an elegant car stopping just outside the tall gates of the Citadel. She quickly hid behind a tree, following her instincts, and watched.

A man in a dark suit opened the rear door, revealing a beautiful young girl, with long blond hair, bright blue eyes and dressed in a simple and yet elegant white dress which was wrapped perfectly around her smooth skin. When she stepped outside the car, it was as if the sun had engulfed her, and Iris could sense a powerful and soothing aura surrounding the girl.

She didn't need to be told who the girl was: she must be Lady Lunafreya, Noctis' wife-to-be and, just by looking at her elegance and beauty, Iris knew she had no chance with Noctis's heart.

She waited until the cost was clear before running back home, tears starting to form in her eyes.

* * *

 **Next chapter: Prompto can't wait to show his uniform to his parents. Iris bumps into Prompto.**


	2. A Stroll In The Park

Prompto Argentum was running as fast as he could home. He was carrying a large package under his left arm, a proud grin plastered on his face.

Upon reaching the small house located in one of the many alleys of the crown city, he quickly checked the post as he usually did, and then opened the door.

"I'm home!" he said excitedly once he had stepped inside.

His grin almost immediately faded: as he had feared, he was the only one in the house. He flopped onto the closest chair, a hint of sadness on his face.

"Guess a picture will have to do."

He then walked to his room where he proceeded to take off his civilian clothes and opened the package to reveal his Crownsguard outfit. Prompto put it on and snapped a picture of himself which he printed and attached to the fridge in the kitchen, together with a note.

 _"_ _Let the adventure begin! See you after the wedding! Love you Mum and Dad, P."_

Checking the clock on the wall, he gasped and rushed once again to his room to collect the clothes and all the material he would be needing during their journey to Altissia. It only took him ten minutes to pack everything since he didn't really have much other than his camera and phone. He considered bringing some of his old comic books, but decided that Noctis would most likely have his own, and could picture Ignis's face scowling at them for filling useful space in the car.

After taking one last, longing look to the house in which he had spent nineteen years of his life, Prompto locked the door and started running toward Noctis' flat.

The crown prince, who happened to be his best friend, lived in the heart of the city, close to a park where Prompto loved to stop by to take pictures of birds preparing their nests, or people walking their dogs or anything that would catch his eye. So he couldn't resist when he saw some beautiful, bright-colored flowers just by the pond. He took his camera, knelt on one leg and started snapping away.

Prompto traveled to a world of his own when he took pictures, and would easily get distracted and forget about his surroundings.

He thought he had heard someone call his name, but it had sounded far away and faint and when he finally turned around to check, there was no one to be seen. He blinked several times in confusion before standing up and marching toward his original destination.

* * *

Iris had spent most of her day preparing for her brother's departure. Gladio would be leaving the following day to accompany the prince to Altissia, where he was to marry Lady Lunafreya, the Oracle, as established many years ago.

She had accepted the fact that her love for Noctis would never be requited, nor possible for that matter as he was the king-to-be and she just a common citizen.

Trying to refrain the tears that so desperately wanted to escape her eyes, she focused solely on her last day with her brother. She would miss him, even if he would be away only for some weeks.

She imagined that, once the whole party returned, things would change: Noctis would be a married man and would live with his bride, maybe even have children and Gladio would be even busier protecting the royal family.

Iris sighed and began to fumble with the hems of her shirt, somehow feeling uneasy and agitated. Unable to bear it any longer, she grabbed her jacket and left the house.

She wandered around the crown city without really having a set destination, and her feet automatically brought her in the proximity of Noctis' flat, just beside the park.

She stopped when she noticed the flashes of a camera, and immediately recognized a familiar figure knelt by the pond. Smiling to herself for having found a friendly face, she walked through the park and reached the concentrated photographer who had carelessly abandoned his backpack on the grass.

"Hello, Prompto!" she said jovially, only to find herself waiting dumbly for a reply that never came. She blinked several times at the distracted blond boy before blushing, feeling extremely awkward.

"Right" she mumbled, before stepping away. Her day just seemed to get worse and worse.

Her brother would leave the following day, her crush was to get married and one of her friends acted as if she didn't even exist. She pondered for a moment the possibility of dropping by Noctis's apartment to wish him luck, but decided against it. If her little trip proved to be as fruitless and awkward as the rest of her day, she would gladly try and spare herself the embarrassment. Besides, the prince would surely be at the Citadel to discuss the last preparations with his father, King Regis.

She therefore marched on, without realizing she was approaching the Citadel itself. Once she found herself at the entrance doors, she noticed a man sprawled on the floor. She rushed to help him, and the man smiled kindly at her, though a little embarrassed.

"Thanks. Just can't seem to get the hang of these things" the man said, taking the crutches that Iris had picked up for him.

The girl noticed his beautifully made black-and-white uniform, and immediately realized he must be one of the Kingsglaives, the officials responsible of protecting the king himself.

The man, who introduced himself as Libertus, told her about his recent accident on the job which had costed him one leg, and Iris explained who she was in return.

"Amicitia? You mean-?" Libertus asked.

"Yes, my father and brother are in the Crownsguard. Noct and I are friends» Iris answered with a nod.

"Huh. So you have business with the prince? And you're waiting here for him?" Libertus asked once more, and Iris confirmed his theory.

"Sorry to say, but I think you missed him. He should probably be home by now" Libertus explained "Was it important? I'll call the driver and see where they are now».

"What? No, you don't-» Iris tried to stop him, but the Kingsglaive had already reached for his phone, calling another Kingsglaive named Nyx. She heard Libertus ask whether the prince had already been escorted to his place, before thanking his colleague and confirming it to Iris.

"Well, if he's your friend, why don't you just meet up with him tomorrow?" asked Libertus. The man immediately wished he had remained silent when the girl in front of him almost started crying and spoke in a choked whisper.

"Or...maybe not» he said awkwardly.

"It's just...today is a special day" she replied, shifting from one foot to the other, trying not to embarrass herself further.

"Ohhh, I see. Didn't know the prince was that kind of guy" Libertus smirked, and he was genuinely relieved to see a smile creeping up on the girl's face.

"I guess he is…" she mumbled.

"Well, it might be hard to get a hold of the prince, but I'm sure he'd take a call from a friend. If it's urgent, why not? You have his number don't you?" Libertus continued.

"What? I-I've never called him before! And my brother'll get mad at me if I do" she muttered awkwardly.

"Then you leave him to me! If today's really so special, you better call him before it's too late!" he encouraged "You'll regret it if you don't".

Feeling suddenly brave at Libertus' words, Iris took her phone and dialed Noctis' number for the very first time. When he answered, she felt her heart skip a beat.

Iris mustered the courage to tell him to be careful out there, and he thanked her warmly before hanging up. It was such a short phone call, and Noctis had seemed in a hurry to finish the conversation with her despite his kind tone. Iris felt possibly even worse than before the call, but Libertus didn't seem to have noticed and instead told her she had done the right thing. She forced a smile on her face and nodded, trying to sink the uneasiness she was feeling.

* * *

 **Next chapter: the boys clean Noctis's apartment before their departure. Iris is forced to make an important promise to her parents.**


	3. The Day Before The Departure

**So, today I'm super happy because, after three months on ground, I finally came back to work. And I have the best job in the world: flight attendant! I just came back home after flying to Paris with an amazing crew, and I passed my Line Check with the highest score. Which means we can celebrate by posting two chapters today! *-***

* * *

The four boys decided to take a short break from the cleaning of Noctis's apartment. The first to stop was Prompto, who had been lazily dusting a shelf before setting his bright blue eyes on a pile of comic books stored in a box by the bookshelf.

He was followed shortly after by Noctis and Gladio, and even Ignis stopped scrubbing the burnt fat in the oven to stare at his friends.

"Whoa! Never thought I'd see this again!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, picking a copy of one particular comic book and analyzing the cover.

"What?" asked Noctis.

"This! I never noticed, but you've got a ton of comics!" Prompto answered swiftly, opening the comic book at random pages.

"Some of 'em are yours, too" Noctis replied amused, and then picked another comic book from the pile.

"Oh! Man, I really wanted to read it one more time!" Prompto almost jumped on Noctis in an attempt to grab the book, which his friend held high up in the air to prevent the blond boy from reaching it.

"If you want to read it so badly, why don't you?" asked the prince with a sly smirk.

"Wait, you don't mean _now_ , do you?" intervened Gladio, unable to hide his amusement. The only one that seemed not to enjoy the happy chattering was Ignis, who sighed heavily and returned to scrubbing the oven, probably thinking he would be the only one left to actually continue with his duty.

"Isn't all this gonna get taken to the Citadel?" asked Prompto taking a look at Noctis's stuff that he had collected throughout the years.

"Yeah" replied Gladio.

"Well, once that happens, I'll never be able to see it again!" exclaimed Prompto in frustration.

"Can't you just take what you want?" Gladio suggested, resting one hand on his hip.

"Can I?" Prompto turned to face Noctis, a hopeful expression on his face.

"No" replied the prince, throwing the comic book back in the box.

"Ah c'mon, dude!" Prompto insisted, but Noctis was unmovable.

"By the way" intervened Gladio "I told you guys I had dinner with my family tonight, and Iris told me she saw you today, Prompto".

"What!? Did she?" the young man asked in disbelief "I don't remember meeting her".

"Well yeah, she said you were in the park taking pictures as usual" Gladio continued.

"Uhm, why didn't she come and say hi?" the blond boy asked, a bit hurt for having been ignored.

"Said she did" Gladio replied gravely, but his amusement was evident on his strong face.

"Wha-Wait! Don't tell me she said hi and I didn't notice! I can't believe I didn't notice!" Prompto wanted to smack himself for his rudeness, though involuntary.

Gladio and the others simply laughed it off, but Prompto was genuinely sorry. He remembered having heard a faint voice calling his name in the park, but he had dismissed it thinking he had just imagined it.

"Meh" he eventually sighed, before reluctantly going back to dusting the shelf.

* * *

Irish had told herself she would wake up as late as possible the following day so she wouldn't be tempted to run off and see the boys' departure. She was therefore disappointed when her eyes automatically opened at dawn, and she felt fully awake as if something had disturbed her slumber.

Snorting loudly, she decided to get up and get ready. Her brain told her to stay home and avoid further damage to her already sore heart, but the latter didn't seem to care, and encouraged her to hurry up and reach the Citadel where the boys were to leave soon.

She ran as fast as she could and, upon reaching the majestic building, she hid behind a bush just outside the gates, her eyes fixed on the dark figure speaking to his father. The king looked extremely worried and sad, fatigue written all over his face and Iris felt a pang of sorrow for the kind ruler. She could sense Noctis was upset for some reason and even Prompto, who was normally jolly and smiling, looked worried.

When the party climbed in the car, slamming the doors and ready to be off, Iris almost lost it and left her shelter, but thought against it: everyone at the Citadel had seemed troubled and worried, and her sudden appearance would probably only upset them further.

She therefore stayed right where she was, inwardly wishing the party the best of luck.

She watched the car until it had disappeared before ascertaining she was completely alone. Only then she left the Citadel behind, returning home.

When she stepped in the hallway, she was surprised to hear someone whispering. She followed the voices until she located her parents sitting in the kitchen, watching the news on TV.

Her father jerked and turned around abruptly, softening when he noticed it was his daughter.

"'Morning sweetie. Up so early?" he asked kindly, while her mother jumped on her feet to prepare her breakfast.

"Good morning" Iris replied, trying to hide her sorrow "Yes, I-I couldn't sleep".

"Who could?" her father said with a bitter smile "Today's a big day".

"They'll be fine, darling" Iris's mother said softly "They are big boys, and can take care of themselves. They'll be back in no time".

"I'm not only talking about the prince and the Crownsguards. The treaty's today" her father continued gravely "And who knows what the Empire is actually plotting".

"Darling, not now…" her mother said with a careful tone.

"Iris is old enough to understand, and has the right to know" her father replied, his tone brusquer.

Iris was possibly more confused than ever, her eyes shifting from her father to her mother.

"Is there something I should know?" she asked in a low voice.

"No"

"Yes"

Her parents answered simultaneously. A silence followed before her mother sighed heavily and went back to the frying eggs.

"This is going to be your responsibility" she said upset.

"I know, darling. But Iris needs to understand one should not trust the Empire" her father said.

"Dad, can you just tell me what's going on?" Iris burst.

"Today's the day of the treaty between Insomnia and the Empire which, as you know, has taken over most of our land. But the crown city stands tall and proud thanks to our king, and prince Noctis is to marry Lady Lunafreya to seal the peace between the two parties. We've been at war for ages now, and this may actually be the end of it" her father explained gravely.

"Well, isn't that good?" Iris asked confused.

"Yes, it should be. But no one at the Palace actually believes the Empire's interested in peace. They won't stop at anything in order to obtain the Crystal of Lucis and conquer the rest of the world. We believe this treaty is nothing but a trap. And King Regis knows it well" her father said solemnly.

"But-But if the king knows…why?" Iris stuttered, unable to understand.

"He must have his reasons. Maybe he has a plan that we don't know about. We will just have to wait and see. I will be at the Citadel today, but I want you to be ready. If anything should happen, it will no longer be safe to be here in Insomnia. You will have to flee, and you must be able to do it at once".

Iris was beginning to feel more and more worried, and her father must have read the fear in her eyes because he continued with a more soothing voice.

"Don't you worry, my child. It's merely a precaution. But I want you to pack all the necessary things. Should things… not go as planned, take your stuff and meet up with Cor outside the city. Do _not_ wait for us. Just go with Cor, he will show you the way" her father proceeded undaunted.

"But- "Iris tried to protest, tried to make clear she would not leave without her family.

"Promise me, Iris. I need to hear you say it" her father placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her in the eye. Iris could feel the stinging forming of tears in them, but nodded firmly.

Her mother placed the eggs and toast in a plate and gently pushed it towards her.

Iris stared blankly at her breakfast, suddenly not feeling that hungry anymore.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: the Regalia runs out of fuel. Iris meets Cor.**


	4. Escape From The Burning City

**A couple more chapters and Iris will finally be reunited with the four troublemakers, so bear with me! :D**

* * *

"So Noct, you're finally tying the knot, uh?"

Prompto broke the silence making Noctis blush slightly, and the prince tried to dismiss it carelessly.

"I guess. Nothing special".

"Nothing special, he says" Gladio intervened with a smirk "Anyone would kill to be in your shoes, dude".

"Look, you turned all red!" Prompto laughed, and even Ignis smirked while keeping his sharp eyes on the road.

"A-anyway, where are we heading to?" asked Noctis, desperately trying to change the subject.

"Hammerhead" Ignis answered "We can refuel the Regalia there and stock up on potions and provisions before continuing our journey to Galdin Quay".

"We're taking a boat there, right? And then we'll be off to Altissia!" Prompto chirped, more excited than ever. Noctis smiled tenderly as he watched his best friend take a shot of everything: every single road sign, every piece of landscape and even the different shapes of the clouds in the sky above them. He would then turn around to face Noctis and Gladio chilling in the back seats, and show them his newest photos.

"Beautiful" remarked Gladio with a hint of sarcasm "especially the sheep-shaped cloud"

"That's _not_ a sheep, Gladio! It looks like the goddess Shiva!" Prompto exclaimed adoringly.

"Mmm… nah, definitely a sheep" Gladio said resolutely.

Prompto snorted and turned back around, pretending to be deeply offended.

"Not long now" Ignis said, taking a turn to the left and driving toward Hammerhead.

When Prompto almost dropped his camera, Gladio's book flew off from his strong grip, and Noctis' head bumped against Ignis's seat, the three boys all turned to the driver to ask why the heck he had stopped so abruptly.

"My apologies, lads" he said "Seems like we have a problem".

The Regalia wouldn't work. The beautiful Audi wouldn't budge no matter how hard Ignis tried to turn the engine back on again.

"We ran out of fuel" he said simply "It looks like you'll have to push it to the next gas station".

"We!? What about you?" asked Prompto, obviously outraged.

" _I_ will be at the wheel, in case the Regalia comes back to life" replied Ignis with the faintest smirk.

Prompto rolled his eyes in defeat and climbed out of the car with Noctis and Gladio.

The three boys started pushing with all their strength, barely managing to budge the car.

"Prompto, are you even trying?" Gladio spat while pushing.

"Why do you think it's me not pushing enough? Maybe Noct is taking a nap over there!" the blond cried.

"It's definitely you, Prompto" the prince managed to speak, his face wet with sweat.

"It's no use!" Prompto protested exasperated "Gladio, you might as well push her all by yourself! I think I'll just sit here and rest".

"The hell you will! Keep pushing!"

After what felt like forever, the car finally roared as it shot forward, Ignis happily slowing down so that the rest of the team could catch up with him, and they all proceeded to Hammerhead to refuel the thirsty car.

* * *

Iris was completely alone now. Her father had headed to the Citadel and her mother was at work. They had acted as any other normal day, but Iris couldn't stop thinking about her father's words. She had packed her backpack as requested and was now sitting still on her bed, unable to do anything else.

It was around late afternoon that she heard it: the unmistakable sound of the Empire's flying engines. They were in Insomnia.

She quickly moved to the window and peered outside: her neighbors had emulated her and all had their heads lifted upwards, staring at the sky where dozens of flying ships could be seen piloting toward the Citadel.

Iris's heart started pounding against her chest, and the girl waited in trepidation. Some people in the streets were cheering at the sight, for that meant peace was about to be signed; others had a look of concern and distrust.

It didn't take long: moments after the Empire officials had entered the Citadel to commence the treaty, which was being shown on the huge screens in the main city squares, flames shot from the royal building, and a shield formed in the sky to surround Insomnia.

Iris knew it was too late: the Magitek ships had already entered the territory, and were ready to attack. Her father had been right, the peace treaty and the marriage itself had been nothing but a trap to force the king to open the borders to the Empire, so that they could have easy access to the city.

The Imperial soldiers began their attack on the capital of Insomnia, easily destroying buildings and setting the whole place on fire.

She quickly grabbed her belonging and ran off, hoping that her family could find shelter and that king Regis had a backup plan to resist the attack.

He must have: the king was wise and strong, he must have planned something together with his Kingsglaives.

She had to force herself to keep running without looking back, knowing that if she did she would surely want to stay and fight.

She then closed her mind off, deaf to the cries for help, blind to the desperation of mothers looking for their children and managed to escape the city before the Empire could seal the entrance gates.

The sounds of fighting and shouting were still ringing in her ears, but Iris kept climbing the side hill just outside the city, and went for the top. A lonely figure was standing in the semi-dark, watching the capital crumble. The flames were so high up now that one couldn't tell where they ended and where the orange sky at sunset began.

"Cor?" she almost whispered.

The man turned around to look at her, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Iris, you made it" he greeted.

She simply nodded, trying not to think about the fate of her birth city, or of her family or that of all the people she loved.

"Follow me" Cor said, swiftly heading to a van parked in the shadows.

Once they reached the van, Iris noticed an old man at the wheel. Upon seeing the couple approaching, the man opened the door and got out to greet them.

"Iris, this is Jared from Lestallum. He will be escorting you there" Cor said. The man, Jared, smiled kindly at her. Iris nodded once more, unable to speak.

"You will need to stay in Lestallum and not wander off" Cor continued.

"But- What about Insomnia? And the king? And my family?" Iris asked in quick succession.

Cor lifted a hand to signal her to let him explain.

"The king was aware of this. I am sure he had it planned, though I admit I do not know the reason behind his choice. As to your family, they also made their choice. They are members of the Crownsguard and knew the risks, which is why they instructed you to save yourself and meet me here".

Cor took a break to let the news sink in. A single tear escaped Iris's eyes, but she had been prepared. It was not time yet to break down.

"What about Noct?" she asked, her trembling voice betraying her.

"The _prince_ " Cor emphasized the word in contrast to her using his first name "will be directed to Lestallum, which is why you are to wait for them there. He will need all the help he can get, and the Empire will not expect him there".

"Ok" Iris agreed "Are you coming with us?"

"No" Cor shook his head "I expect the prince to drop by when he hears the news, so I will be waiting for him here. After that, I will escort him to Lestallum before leaving it to you".

"What am I going to do with him once we meet?" Iris asked in confusion.

"Let's be frank, Iris. No one expects the king to survive this battle, not the king himself either. Noctis will become the legitimate heir to the throne, but he will need to collect the legendary royal weapons from his ancestors' tombs if he wants to have the slightest chance to get his kingdom back. Jared knows where the tomb closest to Lestallum is, and will be directing you to help the prince" Cor explained.

Cor spoke coldly, and it did hurt to hear him say the king would not make it through the night, but Iris knew he was right and she didn't have any choice but to follow his instructions. At least she would be reunited with Noctis and her brother, and she could actually help him fight the Empire.

"I will do it" she said resolutely, determination flaming in her big brown eyes.

Cor smiled proudly at her. "You are a true Amicitia girl. Now go".

After one last look at the man behind her, Iris climbed in the van where Jared proceeded to turn on the engine and drove away from the burning city.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Iris arrives in Lestallum. The boys continue their journey setting sail towards Galdin Quay where they learn some bad news.**


	5. Insomnia Falls

**Welcome back to another chapter! :D Just wanted to clarify that I will be trying to stick as faithfully as possible to the original story, but I _will_ change something so that my own plot can make more sense (like Cor waiting for the boys in Insomnia, and not in Hammerhead) :) Enjoy! ^^**

* * *

"What a woman that Cindy, uh?" Prompto said dreamily. He hadn't used his camera since they'd left Hammerhead, too busy daydreaming about Cid's granddaughter.

"A fine young lady indeed" Gladio agreed.

"You should've asked her out" Noctis mocked "I'm sure she would have been delighted".

"Don't be silly, Noct. She barely looked at him" Gladio intervened with a grin "Poor Prompto didn't stand a chance".

"Oh yeah? What makes you think that?" Prompto turned around to face his muscular friend with a defying expression.

"Many things. Like the fact she barely noticed you existed, and that she is married to her work. I doubt she would be interested in datin' ya" Gladio answered, his smirk growing wider at his friend's reddening face.

Prompto looked like he was about to retort but simply sighed in defeat and grabbed his camera.

"At least I got a picture with her" he said with a longing smile, browsing the photos until he found the one. He shoved the camera in Gladio's face to show the pretty blond girl giving a victory sign to the camera, with Prompto's freckled face grinning widely beside her.

"Nice achievement" Gladio remarked sarcastically.

"How long until we're in Galdin Quay, Specs?" Noctis asked.

"Still a while until we reach it. I'm afraid we'll have to camp tonight" Ignis replied.

"Really?!" Prompto complained as it was his custom.

"Got anything against campin'?" Gladio said leaning back in his seat to enjoy the warm breeze.

"Can't really complain when Iggy's the chef" Noctis grinned and his stomach twitched at the thought of delicious food.

They drove until dusk, where Ignis promptly found a parking spot and a good camping site. Noctis and Gladio began to mount the tent, while Ignis stood motionless as he usually did when he mentally browsed his vast amount of recipes. Prompto had been instructed to collect wood to light the bonfire but was too busy taking pictures of sleeping Dualhorns in the distance.

"Get a move!" Gladio shouldered the slim photographer making him lose his balance.

Muttering angrily, Prompto set off to pick up some wood while Ignis finally started bustling with pots and pans to prepare dinner.

They all ate happily, complimenting Ignis for his excellent Jambalaya salmon recipe, which he had concocted during their stay at the Hammerhead local diner.

"You should be thanking Noctis for fishing a fine specimen of salmon" Ignis said in his usual calm and soothing tone.

They all stayed up later than usual, playing King's Knights and enjoying a steaming cup of coffee under the stars and discussing excitedly about the upcoming wedding.

Ignis kept his eyes firmly on Noctis, registering his happy demeanor now that he was finally free to enjoy his friends' company and some ordinary actions without being told how to eat his soup or walk like a true royalty. He smiled warmly and returned to sipping his coffee, before being humiliated by Prompto in King's Knights.

"You should keep your eyes on the screen, Specs" the boy grinned wryly, obviously enjoying his moment of glory.

"I think I prefer to keep my eyes shut until tomorrow. Good night" Ignis said, standing up and stepping inside the tent.

"Guess it's bed time" Gladio also stood to join Ignis, followed shortly after by the other two companions.

* * *

They had been driving all night. Jared had warned her it could be dangerous, what with Daemons lurking in the dark after dusk, and striking when one least expected it.

Iris had never seen a Daemon before other than in books. She was a bit worried they may run into one, but was not afraid of actually fighting them.

Luckily, their car ride went pretty smoothly, and she got the chance to get to know Jared more. He was a kind-hearted man whose only family consisted of a little boy named Talcott, who was eagerly waiting for him back home.

"I am sure you will like Lestallum. It's no capital city, alright, but charming indeed" he said warmly "You will be just fine".

"I'm sure I will" Iris replied, but she couldn't help but worry about her family back in Insomnia, and about Noctis and the others.

"I just hope they're alright…" she whispered, looking down at her feet.

Jared stared at her sympathetically, and gently patter her hand.

When they reached Lestallum, dawn was breaking and the sun started to peep from behind the mountains. It was a beautiful sight indeed, the early morning rays bathing the peaks of the mountains on their right and the boundless prairies on their left.

For a moment, Iris pushed her worries away while enjoying the view. She could feel Jared smiling beside her.

The man parked the van just outside the city and Iris began to feel exhausted. She had been so worried that she barely had time to think about sleep, but her body had finally had enough and started to protest.

She weakly followed Jared, who had an incredible amount of energy considering his age, and he led her to a hotel conveniently located at the very entrance of the city.

"You should rest before we begin the tour of the city. I am sure you'll feel better when you wake up. The room has already been paid for you. I will be waiting for you at this address" the man said warmly, handing the girl her backpack and a piece of paper on which he had scribbled something.

Iris thanked him whole-heartedly and proceeded upstairs to her room where she immediately collapsed onto the bed, thinking she could take a shower after resting.

* * *

"Welcome to Galdin Quay!" a waiter greeted warmly as soon as the party had stepped in the charming restaurant on the sea.

"Look at this place!" Prompto exclaimed while enthusiastically taking pictures all around him.

"Your cooking skills could be very useful here, Ignis" Gladio poked the man with glasses beside him.

"They won't be needing me. They apparently already have all they need" Ignis replied, pointing at a pretty young girl, busy at the stove behind a circular counter.

Prompto aimed his camera and immortalized the girl in his picture, the flash attracting her attention.

"Oh, hello there! Welcome to Galdin Quay! How may I help you?" she greeted with a sweet smile.

Prompto's face went on fire as he stared open-mouthed at the smiling girl.

"Close your mouth, Prompto, will ya? Before you swallow a fly" Gladio muttered, lifting his friend's chin.

"Good day" Ignis saluted nonchalantly "We are actually looking to sail to Altissia. Could you be so kind as to indicate us where the docks are?"

"Oh, right downstairs, to the left! But –"

"But I am afraid the boats will not take you forth" an unknown voice spoke suddenly, interrupting the girl.

Everyone turned their attention to a man with long, unruly hair who was smirking mysteriously at them.

"Who're you?" asked Gladio, who never really liked people with such self-confidence.

"I'm an impatient traveler, ready to turn ships. The ceasefire's getting us nowhere" the man answered, his smirk never leaving his face. He suddenly tossed a coin at Noctis, but Gladio caught it before the prince could even notice the silver item dangerously flying into his face.

"What's this?"

"Consider it your allowance" the man said.

"Yeah? And who's allowing us?" Gladio remarked frowning.

"A man of no consequence" and with a bow, the mysterious stranger left.

"What just happened?" Prompto asked in disbelief.

"Dunno. But I don't like that guy one bit" Gladio said roughly.

"What do we do now?" Prompto continued.

"I say we spend the night here, and we can figure something out in the morning" Ignis suggested, heading to the cozy hotel just beside the restaurant.

They paid for a luxurious-looking room where they spent most of their day discussing about their next move until sleep fell naturally on the group of friends.

When they woke up the following day, they immediately noticed Ignis was missing.

"He likes to wake up at dawn and take a walk. He'll be back shortly" Noctis explained.

Not long after, Ignis walked into the room carrying a newspaper and a sorrowful look on his face.

"What's that look for?" asked Noctis, a strange feeling dwelling in his stomach.

"It's in all the papers" he said, handing the paper to Gladio.

"Insomnia…falls?" Prompto read the headline, provoking a shocking reaction from Noctis.

"Is that your idea of a joke?"

"I need you to calm down so I can explain" Ignis interrupted "There was an attack. The imperial army has taken the Crown City".

"As treaty room tempers flared, blasts lit the night sky. When the smoke about the Citadel cleared, the king was found…dead" Gladio read, whispering the last word.

Noctis wouldn't listen, wouldn't accept the dreadful facts. He sat down on a chair, unable to speak and in evident shock. Gladio kept his eyes fixed on the paper, but they were not moving to read. Prompto was staring blankly outside the window, holding his left wrist.

"We can't be sure until we see it with our own eyes" Gladio finally said, and Prompto turned around to face his friends.

"And that means we go back to Insomnia" he said.

"Might not be safe for us there" Ignis stated.

"Might not be safe for us here" Prompto retorted more firmly.

"Turn back?" Gladio suggested, and everyone's eyes fell on the prince.

"Yeah" he agreed.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Noctis and the others head back to Insomnia. Noctis obtains his first royal weapon. The four friends finally reunite with Iris.**


	6. Road To Lestallum

**Weeelcome back to another chapter! :D So, I just wanted to thank each and everyone of you who took the time to read my story. It doesn't matter if you're following or leaving a review, I still can't believe that this story is being actually read, and from all over the world too! x) You guys rock! :D**

* * *

The four friends were staring intently at the blockade in front of them, the one that separated them from their birth city. Dozens of armed soldiers were guarding the entrance, inspecting the clearance for each citizen before allowing or denying their access to the crown city.

"We will have to go up the hill" Ignis said quietly, pointing the direction to his friends "Let's try not to get spotted".

The group moved silently to the other side of the road, Ignis turning around just to quickly glance at the Regalia, safely parked in the shadows away from the blockade.

The path was clear, and the four boys proceeded without interruptions until halfway. A few guards had been placed to patrol the side area in case someone tried to sneak in.

"Well, that doesn't leave us much choice" Ignis stated calmly, conjuring his daggers. The others followed suit, Noctis with his sword, Gladio with his greatsword and Prompto with his gun.

Noctis was the first to strike thanks to his ability to teleport, and they easily won the battle as the enemies had been caught off guard and were in numerical disadvantage.

They proceeded all the way up the hill, before getting blocked once again by another group of enemies, a more numerous one. This time they had snipers aiming at them from an advantage point.

"I'm on it!" Prompto exclaimed, happy to be of service. He swiftly took shelter behind a large bulge and began shooting at the snipers, hitting one straight in the head.

"Nice one, Prompto!" Noctis complimented before teleporting beside the rest of the enemy snipers and eliminating them, while Ignis and Gladio concentrated on the ones at the lower level.

Once the cost was clear, they proceeded undisturbed until the very top of the hill, where they could see the destroyed city in the distance.

Their faces darkened at the sight of their home devoured by flames and debris, when suddenly the silence was broken by Prompto's phone broadcasting the latest news.

" _Moreover, in the wake of the news of King Regis's death, we've now received word that Crown prince Noctis and the Oracle Lady Lunafreya have also been pronounced dead"_.

Noctis's distress grew bigger when Prompto suddenly dropped his phone, which he tried to catch clumsily.

"Don't bother!" Noctis shouted at his kneeling friend, who stopped instantly.

"So you made it" a voice could be heard from behind them.

They all turned around to stare at Cor.

"Cor! The hell's going on?" Noctis almost shouted, while the rain began to pour down "The news just said I am dead, and so is Luna and my father!"

"Listen. I am heading to Hammerhead. About the king… it's true" Cor answered in a low tone. Noctis's eyes widened in shock. "If you're looking for the whole truth, I suggest you come with me".

Noctis took a while before replying, but eventually followed the marshal.

"Where's the car?" he asked.

"Not too far from the blockade, let's move carefully" Ignis replied. Cor nodded approvingly.

Once they had safely reached the car, they all climbed in and Ignis started the engine.

"Back to Hammerhead, then".

No one spoke during the car ride to Hammerhead, and they all got out of the car without saying a word, as if they were afraid to break the silence and upset each other.

Cindy approached them with a sorrowful look on her pretty face, giving her condolences to Noctis. Cid looked possibly even worse, and revealed he once was one of King Regis's Crownsguards and best friends, and so he understood perfectly well what Noctis was going through.

He offered to upgrade his and Prompto's weapons for free, and showed them a picture of the car trip he'd joined with the late King and the other guards when they were the same age as the four friends.

"No time for sentimentality now. We should get moving" Cor said forcefully. Noctis couldn't stand his firmness and coldness in this situation, but part of him understood he was suffering just like anyone else, having been a close friend of the king and a Crownsguard himself. He guessed every person reacted differently to tragedy.

They stocked up on potions upon Cor's request, and headed off to a point on the map marked by the former Crownsguard.

He followed them until the entrance to the Royal Tomb not too far from Hammerhead, before handing Noctis the Royal Tombstone's keys.

"This will open all the other royal tombstones. And here I'll take my leave. Once you're done here, head to Lestallum. Iris is waiting for you there and will be directing you to the next ones. Good luck, Noctis" Cor said before leaving them at the entrance of the second tomb.

* * *

"Never AGAIN!" Prompto shouted once they had managed to safely escape the dungeon to the tomb.

"You might as well leave now and go back to Insomnia, then" Gladio mocked.

"Meh. I just don't understand why your ancestors had to pick such dark and creepy places to conceal their weapons, Noct" the photographer continued. Noctis simply shrugged.

"So, are we off to Lestallum now?" Gladio asked rather impatiently. They all knew why: he was worried about his family, but particularly about his younger sister, all alone in the foreign world for the very first time in her life.

"Yeah" Noctis nodded.

The trip to Lestallum didn't go as smoothly as originally planned, what with Ignis insisting they should take a look at the Disc of Cauthess and Prompto wanting to check out the Wiz Chocobo Post. Noctis decided that Gladio deserved to check up on his sister first, ad that they would have plenty of time to sightsee after.

So Ignis drove all the way to Lestallum, while Prompto eyed longingly at the Chocobo sign at a crossroad.

Just then, Noctis got a call from Iris who informed him she had settled in Lestallum and was looking forward to meeting them.

"Hmph, can't even call her own brother" Gladio sighed.

"What about me? She say anything about me?" Prompto intervened earnestly.

"Why would she say something 'bout you?" Gladio asked, raising a brow.

"Dunno, 'cause we're friends?" the blonde replied with a tiny smirk.

"Rrrright" Gladio frowned in suspicion.

"Shall we?" Ignis had already taken his usual seat at the wheel, ready to head to Lestallum.

The trip was long, and the four friends had to stop to camp for a night before proceeding to their destination.

The sun was shining bright, its warm rays hitting the boys' skin. They all leaned back to enjoy the warmth, except for Ignis who kept concentrating on the road.

"D'ya ever relax a bit, Specs?" asked Prompto, his eyes closed to better enjoy the sun.

"If I did, we'd still be stuck in Insomnia" the driver answered amused.

"Can't be far now, can we?" Gladio intervened, a hint of worry in his normally calm tone.

"Relax, Iris is a big girl, she can look after herself" Noctis tried to comfort his friend "Look, I can see the city beyond this tunnel!"

A big city could indeed be spotted in the close distance, and Ignis sped up to reach the closest parking spot.

"Wow!"

"It's nice here!"

"…And warm!"

The four friends were amazed at the sight of the welcoming town in front of them, the smell of exotic food in the air and people bustling in the narrow streets.

"Look! A hotel! With proper rooms, like comfortable beds and clean sheets and no bugs lurking around!" Prompto cried in ecstasy as he rushed toward the building.

They were discussing which room to rent when they heard someone come downstairs and greet them lively.

"Gladdy!"

"Iris!"

Iris approached the four friends with a genuine smile.

"You look good, Iris!" Prompto greeted her, and she blushed slightly.

"It's good to see you, guys. C'mon, we have a lot to catch up on" she said, leading them to an empty hotel room.

After being introduced to Jared and his little grandson Talcott, Gladio, Noctis and Ignis took the three armchairs, leaving the two-seater sofa to Prompto and Iris.

Prompto moved as much as he could to the side to give Iris more space, but the sofa was still relatively small and their bodies brushed slightly against one another.

Iris didn't seem to mind though, and began telling them how she had managed to escape Insomnia with the help of Cor and Jared, and how the Empire had begun the attack on the Crown City.

When she started describing in details how the Magitek troops had cowardly assaulted the city, Iris felt Prompto stiffening up beside her and he unconsciously rubbed his right wrist. She found it odd but continued with her story.

She managed to comfort Noctis by telling him that Lady Lunafreya had not died, and had managed to escape the Citadel just in time. The boy smiled gratefully at her, feeling some hope burning inside him again. The sight made Iris both happy and hurt at the same time.

She then stood up and automatically turned to stare at Prompto, who looked lost in thought. She was pretty sure he had missed the last part of her tale, and wondered what he was thinking about that made him so sad.

She decided to leave the boys alone for a while, but mentally noted to question Prompto about his behavior when she got a chance.

* * *

 **Sooo, now that the five friends are reunited, the story can finally pick up a bit :D  
**

 **Next Chapter: Prompto can't sleep and goes out for a walk. Iris does the same. Prompto invites her to see the Chocobos!**


	7. Something In Common

Prompto couldn't sleep well that night, despite having a comfortable bed for once. He kept thinking about Iris's description of the Magitek troops, and how much chaos and destruction they had brought to the city that had welcomed him when he was but a defenseless infant. After making sure his companions were fast asleep, he took off the wristband that he always wore on his right arm and stared at the bar code printed into his skin. He looked once more at his friends, feeling possibly even more as the odd one out since he didn't belong with them, and probably never would.

He despised being what he was, and had tried anything to get rid of that bar code, but no matter how hard he tried it would stay imprinted into his skin forever, as a dark reminder of his true origins.

His parents had told him the truth at a young age, or better they had been forced to, seeing as the child could not afford to go out showing people where he really came from. Even though the Lucians were kind and understanding people, they doubted they would have accepted having him around. And so, he had always been forced to wear the wristband to hide his true nature.

He wondered where he would be now, and especially _what_ he could be had that Lucian man not taken pity into the one-year old toddler and risked everything to bring him to Lucis, before making sure a nice Lucian family could adopt him and take care of him.

He suddenly felt restless and could no longer bear being in the same room as his friends. He got up, not bothering to put on his jacket, and went out to get some fresh air.

It was 2 AM, and the streets were deserted. He walked in the shadows, grateful to be alone and for once not pretending to be happy and carefree.

He walked on and on without really registering where he was going, until he found himself crossing the street which separated the city from the gas station. He walked a bit further to the stone terrace which overlooked the sea.

However, he stopped abruptly when he realized he was not the only one awake. Iris was leaning forward, her elbows placed on the stony surface, her right hand under her chin and her eyes fixed over the horizon. He wasn't sure he could tell in the dark, but she looked extremely sad.

He had always been a laid-back and jolly boy, both around men and women, but he lacked enough self-confidence to approach a girl alone, especially at night and when they looked in need of moral support. He just didn't know how to act around them despite trying to seek their attention when he was surrounded by his friends.

He tried to head back into town as silently as possible, pretending he had never seen her but he heard her calling his name.

"Prompto…?"

"Hey Iris" he said in a low tone, getting nervous all of a sudden. Fearing to be rude by standing so far from her, he decided to approach her and stood by her side.

"Daemons" she said, pointing at something in the far distance "I had never seen one before now".

Prompto focused on the point she had indicated and could indeed see a violet shadow lurking in the woods.

"I heard the Empire is using them to enslave the rest of the world" she continued. Something inside Prompto's stomach twitched, and he felt once again like a traitor, like someone who didn't deserve to be part of the prince's team.

Iris could sense him turning rigid once more, just like he had earlier that day. She frowned and decided to ask him.

"Why do you act so funny whenever we talk about the Empire, Prompto?"

Prompto was caught off guard, and tilted his head to the side so fast he could feel every nerve in his neck screaming in protest.

"I-I" he stuttered, trying to think of an excuse "It's just that… they wiped away our home, killed our friends and families. I wonder if my parents survived…"

He trailed off, hoping his answer was convincing enough. Apparently it was, for Iris gave him a sympathetic smile and nodded.

"I am worried too" she said.

Again, Iris noticed the boy beside her rub his right wrist without even realizing he was doing it.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, eying the spot he had been touching.

"Wha-? Oh no, everything's fine. Perfectly fine" he answered agitated.

Frowning a bit, Iris reached out to grab his wrist, thinking he had hurt himself somehow. However, the boy interjected her and moved his arm behind his back before she could touch him.

"It's just… I sprained my wrist yesterday and it still kinda hurts. I'll be ok" he said hurriedly.

Prompto mentally smacked himself for being so careless. His companions had never noticed his unconscious habit of rubbing the spot where his bar code was printed, but he guessed women had some sort of sixth sense for these things.

She looked at him suspiciously for a few instants, but then smiled kindly and nodded.

"So, ehm… what are you doing up so late?" he asked, trying to distract her from their previous conversation.

"Could ask you the same thing" she answered smartly.

"Couldn't sleep" he said simply, shrugging his shoulders.

"Me neither" she confessed with a sigh "What with all the stuff that has been happening lately".

Prompto could only nod, not sure of what to say.

"Prompto…?" she asked hesitantly.

"Mhm?"

"Do you… do you think Noct and Luna will get married?"

It was such an unexpected and strange question that Prompto blinked confused.

"Of course I do. Why shouldn't they?" he asked her back in disbelief.

"I… Nothing, I just thought… You know… Do you think Noct loves her?" she questioned again, blushing furiously.

Prompto began to understand what she actually meant, and didn't honestly know how to tell her without hurting her feelings.

"I… I believe so. It doesn't seem like he cares too much about the wedding and doesn't like talking about it, but I do believe he has true feelings for Luna" he admitted.

"I see…" Iris said sadly before mustering a much cheerer expression "I guess they make a nice couple, uh?"

"I-I guess."

An awkward silence fell between them, and Prompto began to feel uneasy.

"Ehm, do you like Chocobos?" he asked without thinking. " _Chocobos. Really, Prompto?!"_

She turned to look at him with her large brown eyes, and he immediately regretted asking her such a dumb question.

"Very much. Not only are they extremely cute, but also very useful" she answered jovially.

"Really? Well, why don't you join me to the Wiz Chocobo Post tomorrow?" The words flooded out of his mouth without control once again, and he realized it almost sounded like he had asked her out on a date.

Feeling the need to repair the damage, he quickly added "I've been wanting to check it out for a while now, but considering that the boys find it a waste of time and money, I thought I could ask you".

 _"_ _Perfect. Now it sounds like she's your last resort"_

"Sure, why not!" she accepted enthusiastically, and Prompto could tell she was genuinely interested. This made him smile and feel slightly more confident.

"Right. So, how about we meet here at 10? I can ask Noct to lend me the Regalia, or we could ask Jared" he suggested.

"Guess we'll have to stick with Jared's old van" Iris giggled "I doubt Iggy and Noct will allow us to borrow the Regalia".

"True" he chuckled "Better get some rest, then! See ya tomorrow!"

She gave him one of her best smiles and, for a moment, he forgot all of his worries.

When he arrived at the hotel, he felt much more light-hearted and fell asleep almost instantly, thinking about their imminent excursion.

He couldn't have known that, at the other side of the town, Iris was feeling exactly the same way.

* * *

 **Aww, poor Iris is heartbroken and Prompto is so awkward around girls :D Hopefully things will be much cheerier in the next chap ;)  
Next Chapter: Iris and Prompto spend the day at the Wiz Chocobo Post. Chocobos. Chocobos. And more Chocobos! Plus something not as cute... *O* **


	8. A Chocobo Paradise

"Look who's back to the world of the living" Gladio mocked when Prompto awoke from his slumber, his head spinning slightly. Then he remembered the events of the previous night and quickly grabbed his phone.

The clock read 9:15.

"Argh, I'm gonna be late!" he cried and jumped out of bed, leaving his three friends baffled.

He took a quick shower and put on his civilian clothes. He didn't even bother to fix his hair, as unruly as ever, and shot out of the bathroom to quickly grab his jacket.

"May we ask you where you're off to in such a hurry?" Ignis asked while quietly sipping his coffee.

"Wiz Chocobo Post. 10 AM. Late!" he panted while lacing his sneakers.

"Why the fancy clothes, then?" Gladio asked raising an eyebrow.

"Ehm, I'm going with someone" Prompto replied, for some reason unable to tell him who he was going with.

"Oooh, someone's got a date!" Noctis teased.

"Nothing of the sort!" Prompto said defensively, suddenly wishing his skin were darker to conceal his blush.

"Yeah, right!" Noctis kept mocking "Well, have fun out there, lovebird!"

Rolling his eyes, Prompto rushed out of the room and ran as fast as he could to the stone terrace, only to find it empty.

He stopped in his tracks. " _Maybe she is still asleep. Or maybe she forgot. Or maybe she thought against it_ " he thought flatly.

"Prompto!"

The boy turned to the source of the sound and saw Iris sitting in a light grey van, waving at him with a large grin on her face.

He returned the smile and rushed over to her.

"You're taking the wheel, I'm not that good at driving" the girl said with an apologetic smile, before gesturing for him to take her seat. They swapped places and he started the engine.

"You… look really nice, Iris" Prompto said a bit awkwardly, but knew he had said the right thing when a blush crept up on her face.

"Thanks…" she mumbled shyly.

She was wearing white shorts, a light pink shirt and matching sneakers. It was simple, she thought, but she had picked her clothes based on the activities they had planned for the day. She couldn't ride a Chocobo wearing a skirt and high heels, that's for sure. But Prompto seemed to genuinely like her outfit, and she smiled contentedly. She then found herself wondering why she cared so much to look nice around him. She had known him for many years now, and never really cared to look particularly attractive around him. She guessed that every girl liked some attention from boys every once in a while.

Only then she noticed that Prompto was not wearing his Crownsguard outfit, but had changed into denim jeans and a light blue shirt which highlighted his eyes.

She had to admit he looked really cute, though she secretly hoped she was being accompanied by a certain dark-haired prince...When her mind began daydreaming more than necessary about Noctis, Iris shook her head and decided to concentrate solely on the blond boy beside her. She was going to enjoy the day with her friend, and would not allow Noctis to ruin her plans.

Prompto was a good driver, or maybe he was simply trying to get them safely from A to B in order not to face Gladio should anything happen to her, and he soon took a right to drive down a narrow pathway where they could see yellow feathers flying in all directions.

They were soon greeted by a jolly-looking man, who encouraged them to take a look around and meet his Chocobos.

Baby Chocobos were chirping happily and pecking at the food scattered around, while the adult Chocobos were standing proudly at their posts, waiting for visitors to feed them or even rent them for a short ride.

Prompto immediately reached for his camera and began to take countless pictures with one hand, and pushing Iris in his line of sight with the other so that he could take some shots of her with the feathery birds.

Iris smiled eagerly at the camera before turning to stroke the tall birds and feeding them with vegetables. The Chocobos twittered contentedly, and Prompto managed to take a picture of one eagerly munching on its lettuce.

"This one's so silly!" Iris chuckled while browsing Prompto's pictures since the start of his journey.

"Oh, that one!" Prompto leaned in toward her to take a better look at the photo. "Yeah, Specs looks like he's yawning there. In reality he was calling me and Noct to dinner".

They kept laughing until both their stomachs began rumbling with hunger.

Prompto took the menu lying on their table and shared it with Iris so that they could both take a look at the available dishes. "This looks good!" Iris said "The Chocosandwich".

Prompto smirked at her and then stood up to go and place their order. When he came back, he was carrying two large plates with sandwiches and fries.

"This is SO good! I haven't had such a good meal since I was a fat little kid!" Prompto confessed while eagerly attacking his food.

"Wait, fat kid?" Iris repeated surprised.

"Yeah. I was overweight when I was a kid. It was actually Noct that inspired me to lose weight and become slimmer" Prompto told her, blushing lightly "Couldn't even go up a flight of stairs without crushing to the floor".

"Can hardly believe that" Iris giggled. She just couldn't picture a chubby Prompto. Ever since they met, he had always been fit. But then again, they met when he was 16 and she 13, so she guessed he had already achieved his objective by then.

"It's true" he continued "And a lonesome one too. Never had any friends, really. You know, my parents have never been much at home, always somewhere working overtime to make sure we could pay the bills by the end of the month. We are not exactly… wealthy. So I spent most of my childhood alone, finding relief in photography and junk food. Until I met Noct. That changed everything".

Iris listened to his tale as if hypnotized, feeling genuinely sorry at the thought of a small Prompto living isolated from everyone, even his own family. She had only known the happy, easy-going side of his personality, and found it difficult to picture him as a lonely boy with no friends.

Only then she realized how hard it must have been for him to become a Crownsguard. Of course, she imagined that being Noctis's best friend might have helped, but he must have worked incredibly hard to prove he was worthy enough of the king's trust.

They kept chattering happily, before renting two Chocobos to ride around the post and challenge each other at races. Needless to say, Prompto was far too fast, and easily beat her every time. Regardless of this, Iris was having the time of her life: she couldn't remember the last time she had laughed like that and occasionally posed for the camera whenever Prompto extracted it to capture another memory. She hadn't even noticed the sun had begun setting until Prompto did. They were having so much fun that they had totally forgotten to keep an eye on their watches.

"Uh-oh, better get going" he said, lifting his head to look at the darkening sky.

They said goodbye to the Chocobos, promising to come visit again soon, and went back to their van, where Prompto immediately began driving.

Halfway to Lestallum, the sun had completely set and the sky was now a deep dark blue color and Iris couldn't deny she was getting slightly nervous, expecting an attack from a Daemon anytime.

As if her worries had conjured the menace, the dark road was suddenly blocked by a gigantic Daemon with several heads which resembled those of a sea monster.

Iris shrieked while Prompto instinctively braked, stopping the van in the middle of the road.

The Daemon roared ferociously at them, its yellow eyes glowing with malice.

Prompto widened his eyes in horror, but acted quickly. He immediately tried to drive back to the Chocobo Post in reverse, but the monster quickly slid into his line of sight, blocking the path.

"Guess you don't leave me much of a choice" Prompto muttered as he conjured his gun and opened the door.

Iris yelled at him to try and convince him to get back and not do anything stupid, but he was already gone.

He carefully aimed at one of the heads, shooting at it right between the eyes. At first, Iris thought he had easily managed to take the monster down, but her hopeful expression fell instantly when the monster summoned two more heads to replace the defeated one.

Prompto was taken off guard by this, which costed him: the Daemon, noticing he had let his defenses down, attacked fiercely with its long tail, hitting him square in the stomach and sending him flying several feet backwards.

He landed painfully on his back, groaning loudly as he tried to get back on his feet.

And then all he could hear was a piercing scream. As if it had been a catalyst, Prompto immediately jumped back up and looked around to locate the source of the scream. His blood froze in his veins when he saw the Daemon forcefully slamming the van with its strong tail, while Iris was trying to protect her head with her arms.

He ran as he had never run before and began shooting furiously at any body part of the monster he could hit.

The Daemon then turned its attention to him and slid forward.

Still sore for being hit so hard, Prompto began shooting once more at its heads. Every successful hit, however, resulted in the monster staring back at him with new pairs of murderous eyes.

He noticed it when it was too late for him to find shelter or run away: the Daemon's tail hit his right hip, causing him to spin several times mid-air before landing on the asphalt.

"Iris, get away from us, hide!" he managed to cry out, in a desperate attempt to save at least her life.

"You're the Crownsguard, Prompto! Don't you dare die on me!" he heard Iris shout back at him "Oh!"

The girl had exhaled in surprise as Prompto pressed one hand on the sore hip.

"Prompto, behind it! Look at its back!"

The boy managed to summon all his energies to heave himself up and did as Iris told him. His eyes widened in hope and excitement as he saw a tiny, pulsating spot on the back of the monster, which was now dangerously gliding toward Iris.

Before it could strike her, Prompto lifted his right arm and aimed at the weak spot, firing with precision. With immense relief, he saw the monster collapse to the ground inches away from the girl.

He sighed loudly and knelt down, the pain intensifying as the adrenaline in his system returned to its normal levels.

Iris got out of the van and rushed to him, put one of his arms around her shoulders and helped him back up on his feet. Prompto winced but didn't complain further as she carried him to the van and helped him lie down.

"I'll take the wheel from here" she said determinedly.

She made sure to accelerate and never stop until they were safely back in Lestallum. Never before had she been more grateful to see the city lights.

* * *

 **Hooray for brave and victorious Prompto! I actually wrote another version where Iris and Prompto manage to escape the monster (Prompto still gets injured, 'cause I'm mean :D) and find shelter in an abandoned shack in the woods, where they stay for the night as Iris attends to Prompto's wounds. But it just wouldn't go well with the rest of the story I had originally planned, so I eventually published this version :) Maybe I'll post the other one as a bonus, depending if anyone's interested. We'll see ^^"**

 **Next Chapter: Prompto recovers as Iris and Jared take care of him. Gladio is angry at Prompto. Prompto reminisces his very first date.**


	9. Hero For A Day

Prompto slowly opened his eyes, wincing at the blinding sunlight. He covered his eyes with one arm and immediately wished he hadn't done it.

A sharp pain shot all over his body as the events of the previous night came rushing to him. He didn't know how he had ended up in a comfortable bed, but assumed he must have passed out at a certain point the night before.

Trying to move his body as little as possible, he scanned the room. He didn't recognize it, but it was small yet welcoming and beautifully decorated.

He deduced that Iris must have taken him back to Lestallum, for he could see the majestic shape of the power plant from his window, and that she had probably asked for someone's help, most likely Jared.

He then widened his eyes in horror as his head immediately shot to his right, to check that no one had removed his wristband when they were lying him down. With a sigh of relief, he could tell no one had invaded his privacy more than necessary, but someone had surely removed his shirt, for his chest was bare excluding the bandages wrapped around it.

He blushed furiously when he noticed someone had also taken the freedom to remove his jeans and replace them with more comfortable pajama pants. Whoever had taken care of his injuries thought it best not to apply any more pressure on the sore spot.

His deductions were interrupted when someone knocked on the door, before stepping in. It was Iris, carrying a tray of food and giving him a large smile, though he could tell she was very worried.

"How're you feeling?" she asked, placing the tray on the bedside table.

"Been better" he groaned, trying to sit up. Iris smiled sympathetically and sat on the bed beside him.

"What's the time?" he asked, grabbing a piece of toast from the tray and eagerly biting on it.

Iris checked her watch. "Quarter to twelve".

"What?!" Prompto shouted, almost choking on his toast "I gotta go! The boys must be worried!"

"You're not going anywhere, Prompto! You can barely sit in bed. Besides, I have already informed the others about what happened" Iris replied firmly.

"Oh… What did they say?" Prompto asked, suddenly feeling very stupid as he could imagine his companions' faces upon hearing the news, and what they must have said.

"Ignis…" she started, looking at her feet "Ignis said it was utterly irresponsible of us to stay out until after dusk, but he hopes you will get better soon. The most understanding, though, was Noctis. He was just very worried and only asked about how you were doing. Tried to rush over here to see you, but I told him you were still unconscious, and to wait until you were awake".

"Ugh- there's still one more…" Prompto doubted Gladio would be as understanding as the others, and waited for her to answer. Upon hearing her brother's name, she gave him a sad look, as if unsure of whether to tell him or not.

"Well, you know Gladdy… he- he is very impulsive and-"

"Just tell me" Prompto said in a low voice.

"…he- he was _furious_. Said we were two idiots and that- that you…" Iris stopped, tears in her eyes.

"Iris..?" Prompto reached out to comfort her, but she shook her head to fight back the tears and continued.

"He said you deserved it for being so irresponsible, and he hopes you learned the lesson. Gladio… he can be so harsh and mean when he is angry… I am sure he didn't really mean it, though".

Prompto swallowed the lump forming in his throat: he knew what Iris meant, that Gladio easily lost it when the sake of the people he cared for was at stake, but his words hurt nonetheless.

"I- I'm sorry…" he whispered, lowering his head "I didn't mean to put you in danger. It was foolish of me".

"It was not your fault, Prompto! You _saved_ me!" Iris retorted "You must not mull over what he said!"

Just as Prompto was about to open his mouth to speak, another figure entered the door.

"I see you are awake, young man. You got us seriously worried there" Jared said, clutching his fists behind his back as he approached the couple.

"I am sorry, really…" Prompto said apologetically.

"Now, don't be silly m'boy. You fought valiantly to save our Iris's life, and for that we are all very grateful. And, by the way, I took the liberty to clean your wounds and lend you some of my clothes" the man explained kindly, and Prompto smiled gratefully at him.

"Words can't describe how grateful I am, sir" the boy started, but Jared chuckled.

"We are the ones that should be thanking _you_ , Prompto. Even though it was very unwise of you two to stay out so late, I am positively impressed. You took a Daemon down all by yourself, according to Iris's tale" Jared continued.

"Oh no, sir! Iris was of great help! She showed me how to defeat that Daemon. If it hadn't been for her, I'd probably be dead meat by now" Prompto wanted to make sure he didn't get a glory he didn't wholly deserve. He generally didn't like being at the center of attention, but he also meant what he had just said.

"Then you make a really good team" Jared smiled paternally at both of them "Now young man, make sure you eat your food as the prince will soon be needing you again".

"R-right! Thank you, sir".

Iris watched the blond boy eat in silence for a while. "Thank you, Prompto".

The boy lifted his head to return her gaze and grinned widely, winked at her and continued to devour the rest of the food.

"At this rate I'll get fat again!" he said satisfied when he was done, pushing the tray back on the table and, without thinking, slammed his hands on his stomach to point out how full he was. He widened his eyes as tears stung them and screamed in pain. Iris laughed so hard at his clumsiness that she almost fell out of bed.

"Oh, you really are one of a kind, Prompto" she chuckled, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Yeah" he agreed, massaging the back of his head with one hand in embarrassment but grinning proudly for making her laugh so hard.

They were interrupted by the sound of chattering coming from downstairs, followed shortly after by footsteps approaching their room.

"I think you've got visitors" Iris grinned, standing up.

Needless to say, Noctis, Ignis and, to Prompto's surprise, Gladio stepped in.

"How're you doing, troublemaker?" asked Noctis with a faint smile.

"Not too shabby, not too shabby" Prompto grinned back "Good to see you, guys".

Gladio grunted loudly and crossed his arms. "Now listen up, kiddo. We're all happy you made it through, but involve my sister in one of your stupid ideas once more, and I will personally make sure you won't be so lucky next time".

"Gladio, you should be grateful he saved her life" Ignis tried to reason with the tall man, but the latter snorted. "This wouldn't have happened had he waited just a little bit longer to go and see those bloody birds".

"Gladio!" everyone turned to him and gave him a hard look.

"No it's fine. He's right" Prompto intervened without looking up.

"Don't be ridiculous, Prompto. Anyone can lose track of time when they're having fun" Noct reassured.

"Not when my sister is involved" Gladio retorted.

"Gladiolus, stop it immediately!"

Everyone's attention was now focus on the slim girl, who had stridden toward her brother with a menacing expression on her normally sweet face.

"Now you listen to me, big brother. In case you haven't noticed, I am a grown up girl now. And yet, it doesn't seem to me that you ever considered the thought that maybe, just _maybe_ , I was having so much fun that I too lost track of time! You're accusing Prompto as if he has dragged me with him forcefully!"

Gladio blinked several time in disbelief, at a loss for words.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, treating your partner _and_ your friend like that! He risked his life to save mine, and for that you should be eternally grateful to him" she continued mercilessly.

Gladio could no longer keep his eyes on her sister, or anyone else for that matter, as Iris's words started to sink in.

"You're right" he muttered embarrassed "I-I guess I should apologize, kiddo".

"Hey, no big deal" Prompto said "If you promise to stop calling me kiddo, though. You're only five years older, dude".

"Mmm, I'll think about that" Gladio allowed a tiny smirk cross his face, and everyone relaxed again.

Jared came shortly after carrying a tray with mugs filled with coffee, and everyone scattered around Prompto's bed to discuss about his encounter with the Daemon.

Prompto felt blood rushing to his cheeks as everyone praised his heroic achievement, which didn't happen often. Unlike his companions, he had never received any fighting training, but a simple self-defense course consisting of a couple of books and some brief sessions with the other Crownsguards to practice. He was basically self-educated, and was impressed enough when he actually passed his exam at the Citadel.

He had always feared of being a burden for his three friends during the journey, seeing that he lacked the abilities and skills of the others, and so it felt odd to be at the center of the attention now.

The sky had turned a beautiful orange color as the sun was starting to set when his friends left him to rest. They had decided they would be staying in town until his full recovery, "enjoying themselves, the local girls and some good ice cream" quoting Gladio.

Iris frowned slightly at the "local girls" part, but didn't say anything. Prompto imagined she couldn't stand the thought of Noctis looking at other women and not her. He could understand her feelings, or sort of. He had fallen for some girls in high school and had to cope with the fact that, no matter how hard he tried to get their attention, they would always follow or stalk Noctis wherever he went. The prince was a handsome young man, but he suspected that most of the girls were actually interested in him because of his royal status.

He remembered that one time when, inspired by a sudden burst of courage-or maybe out of pure stupidity-, he had asked one of the prettiest girls of his school out. To his surprise, she had accepted.

At first he thought he had actually made it, and had even managed to take her hand in his. When it was time for her to be taken back home, however, he instantly realized what an utter failure the day was actually turning out to be.

Confident that the attraction was mutual, he leaned in toward her just outside her flat to claim his first kiss, but she had suddenly taken a step back and held a hand up to his face.

"Sorry, Prompto. You're cute and sweet, but I-ehm, see you as a friend, really. And friends are supposed to help each other, right?"

Prompto stood lamely in the hallway, his back still slightly curved from when he had tried to kiss her, listening dumbly at her words. What came after proved to be even worse.

"So, since we are _friends_ " she underlined the word with a sly smirk "when you see Noctis, could you be so kind as to put in a good word for me?"

She flapped her long eyelashes at him and Prompto, feeling extremely dumb and shamelessly used, replied with a "Butofcourse!" a bit too enthusiastically.

Since then, he had avoided asking any girl out on a proper date.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Prompto is still recovering from the fight, which allows him to open up more to Iris. Iris says something that will leave both of them quite bewildered.**


	10. Leaving A Mark

**Heeello everyone! :D So, I decided to publish not one, not two, not three, but FOUR chapters in a row this time! Wait, wait! I can explain x) Operations called me out from my standby week and assigned me duty in four different cities this week, so I will be away for some time. Of course, the hotels have free wi-fi, but it's quite bad and slow, and sometime I cannot even connect to them. So I will leave you with some chapters just to be sure :) Should I be able to get online, I will publish more and you can read them at your own pace :) Enjoy!**

* * *

"Earth calling Prompto!"

He snapped out of his memories and focused on Iris's face floating dangerously in front of him. The unexpected proximity startled him so much, he gasped and leaned backwards.

"Did I scare you?" she chuckled "You barely noticed I brought you dinner".

Prompto could indeed smell food now, his stomach rumbling approvingly.

"Ignis told me to make you this one, said it's one of your favorites" she smiled.

Prompto's eyes lit at the sight of Mexican style chili beans and the boy could feel his mouth watering.

"Wow, you're just as good as Specs at this!" he complimented after tasting the dish.

She blushed and smiled at him, sitting beside him like she had done earlier that day.

"I also brought you this" she said, placing a couple of pills on his tray "Jared's orders. He said you will be feeling better in the morning if you take the pills now".

Prompto wasn't a big fan of medications, but had become slowly accustomed to them during the journey with the boys, where getting to bed without injuries was almost a utopia.

Iris watched him eat in silence, and Prompto started to feel nervous. He couldn't understand why she would simply stare at him without ever leaving his side.

"Has- has Noctis ever had a girlfriend?" she asked after a long pause.

 _"_ _Here we go again"_ he thought discouraged _"Back to playing the prince's sidekick, giving moral support to his admirers"._

"Dunno. He doesn't really like talking about this kind of things" he replied more coldly than he had intended. She probably noticed, because she blushed and shook her head as to clear it off.

"Sorry, I shouldn't really be asking these questions… I know he is to get married soon, but…"

"It's fine" he said flatly, not feeling that hungry anymore.

He wasn't jealous or envious of his best friend, had never been and never would be, but it irritated him that girls only came to him to talk about another man. It made him feel invisible.

"W-what about you?" she stuttered, in an attempt to cheer him up "Have you ever had any girlfriends?"

"Uh? Me? Not really, I don't count". The words burst out of his mouth, as if he had been wanting to confess this but had kept it all in for far too long.

Iris blinked confused and gave him a questioning look.

"Well, all the girls I liked were after Noct" he explained, shrugging his shoulders as if to brush it off as a matter of no real importance.

"It's alright" he added, noticing her saddened expression "I'm used to it. Doesn't really matter to me".

"Frankly, it seems to me that it _does_ matter" she retorted.

"I guarantee you, it doesn't" he said, looking outside the window "Noct is a good-looking guy, he's brave, kind-hearted _and_ the future king. Who would look at me when he is around?"

There was a short pause before he continued. "I want to make crystal clear that I am truly and eternally grateful and happy to be Noct's friend. He deserves all the attention, and I understand it. Besides" he proceeded to give her his signature punk-grin "I bet I'll be the next most wanted guy after his wedding!"

His smile was so contagious that Iris couldn't help but return it cheerfully.

"I bet you will!" she agreed.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a shy knock on the door, and Jared's grandson, Talcott, tucked his head in the room and focused on Iris.

"Iris, grandpa said it's time for Prompto to get some rest" he chirped.

"Right. I'll leave soon then" she nodded, and the child ran off to tell his grandfather.

"Oh well, guess it's bed time" she smiled "Goodnight, Prompto!"

"Goodnight, Iris" he replied, and the lights in his room went off.

"Oh, Prompto?" the girl asked in the dark while opening the door.

"Mmm?" he muttered.

"I-I don't think Noct is the only good-looking, brave and kind-hearted member of the party" she said almost in a whisper, before quickly closing the door behind her, leaving a very much shocked Prompto lying motionless in bed.

She was furiously pacing the floor in her bedroom, back and forth, thinking about what she had just said.

"What just happened?" she muttered to herself, still shocked at her own words. They had left her mouth suddenly, voluntarily, without her own permission.

She didn't know why she had said that. Noctis occupied her mind day and night but, between that awkward night conversation with the blond member of the party at the stone terrace, and the Daemon encounter the previous evening, another person had slowly begun haunting her thoughts.

It was extremely easy to grow fond of Prompto Argentum. In fact, she had always liked him, but in a brotherly and friendly way. So why did she tell him she found him good-looking?

Well, he _was_ cute. And he had showed her how brave he was the night before. And anyone that had exchanged at least a couple of words with him knew how kind and sweet a boy he was.

So what she said was essentially true: he was good-looking, brave and kind-hearted. He was her friend, and she simply remarked some of the qualities he possessed. As simple as that.

She sighed heavily, feeling more relieved at the thought of having spoken those words to boost her friend's mood. Friend. Right.

She kicked off her slippers and changed into her pajamas. Though her body was completely exhausted since she hadn't slept since the Daemon attack, her mind began racing once again in the dim light of her room. She thought of all the events that had been happening the past two days, the feelings she had for Noctis, Prompto's punk-face grinning at her. She groaned in frustration, pressing her pillow over her face and forced shut her mind off.

A few feet away, behind the wall that separated their rooms, Prompto was not having much luck at falling asleep either. He hadn't yet shifted his position since Iris had closed the door to let him rest. But how could he rest when his mind kept replaying the last conversation they had had?

He could almost hear her speak the words in her sweet voice. " _I don't think Noct is the only good-looking, brave and kind-hearted member of the party_ " she had said. Did that mean she found _him_ cute and brave?

He shook his head in denial. It couldn't be. He now knew too well she had feelings for Noctis and, for all he knew, she might have been referring to Ignis, or her own brother.

But he doubted she was actually talking about Ignis, for they had never really been that close and he was much older than her, nor could she have meant her brother, for he had never met a girl speak of her brother like that.

So that only left him, Prompto, as subject of her digression.

People had told him before he was cute, like his mom or all the girls that came to him just to be introduced to the prince, and never like _that_ , anyway. They had never had that edge in her tone, not even his mother's adoring one.

He wasn't quite sure what was so different about the way she had said it, and he might as well have imagined the whole thing, but that simple sentence had definitely left a mark in him.

He finally shifted his position, slowly and carefully, so he could face the window and tried to clear his mind of all thoughts by closing his eyes. He normally fell asleep instantly when using that technique but, as soon as his eyelids shut, he could see Iris's face smiling at him, as vivid as if it were real. He frowned at the strange occurrence, but decided he certainly didn't want to wake up with a headache the next morning and forced himself to brush it off and focus on falling asleep.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Jared encourages Iris and Prompto to check out the local market. Noctis joins them. Prompto craves ice-cream.**


	11. A Day Of Frivolity

Prompto woke up quite early the following morning. He had to admit Jared's medications had been extremely effective and he was feeling much better. He could finally stand up, though moving quite carefully, and headed for the bathroom. He removed the bandages and stared at his own bare chest which now spotted a large bruise in the middle. After taking a hot shower, he put on some fresh clothes that Jared had left for him and slowly climbed downstairs, supporting himself on the banister.

Jared was already awake and preparing breakfast for everyone, and smiled widely when he saw Prompto approaching him.

"I see you're recovering fast. A couple more days and you'll be good to go" he said approvingly "Then again, bodies tend to repair themselves much faster at your age".

Prompto landed in one of the chairs around the small kitchen table, sighing "I can't wait to get back on the road. I don't like sitting around doing nothing, and I miss taking pics".

"I forgot the impatience of the youth" Jared laughed "Guess that once one reaches the same age as I, they simply want to enjoy a quiet life. I was a very active boy myself, always making troubles. Still kinda do, though".

"How so?" Prompto asked curiously.

"I'm helping you lot, aren't I? That's enough to get sentenced to death by the Empire" the man explained jovially, as if defying the Empire gave a whole new meaning to his existence.

"Aren't you scared?" Prompto inquired in a low voice.

"Do I look scared to you, m'boy? I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't want to. When we swore to never surrender to the Empire, we all knew the risks" the old man continued while placing the kettle on the stove.

At that point, Iris came downstairs yawning sonorously, her hair a mass and wearing a pink pajamas spotting pictures of tiny Chocobos all over the fabric. When she saw who was keeping the old man company, she stopped in her tracks, her hand still mid-air from when she was yawning, and fixed her large brown eyes on Prompto. The two looked at each other in silence before the girl emitted a tiny shriek and ran back upstairs.

"Wha-?" the boy started confused, and Jared laughed heartily.

"Oh, what would us men do without these sweet creatures?" the man spoke, unable to control the fit of laughter.

Iris came back ten minutes later, sporting a casual outfit and combed hair, as well as some make-up which still failed to hide her furious blush.

"'Morning" she greeted awkwardly, taking a seat as far away from Prompto as possible.

"Good morning, sweetie. Sleep well?" the old man asked, placing a cup of tea in front of her and a plate with toast and eggs.

"Uhm, very well thanks" she replied, making sure she kept her eyes fixed on the floor and ignoring the other boy's presence.

The awkward silence was luckily broken by Talcott, who came rushing downstairs fully dressed for his school day.

"Gotta run, grandpa!" he said, quickly grabbing a toast to eat on the way "See you later!"

Jared smiled as he watched his grandson disappear behind the tall buildings of Lestallum and sat down to enjoy some well-deserved breakfast.

Unable to bear the silence that had fallen over them any longer, the man pushed his empty plate away and suggested "Why don't you two check out the market today? It's not far from here, and they sell all sorts of things on Thursdays."

Prompto looked over at Iris, to seek her approval and could tell the girl seemed eager to check it out.

"Why not? Whaddya say, Iris?" he asked in his usual jolly voice.

"Uh? I-I don't know if we should… I mean, it's gonna be fun but-" the girl stuttered embarrassed.

"Oh cut it, Iris. The poor boy has been lying in bed for almost two days now. He deserves to get some fresh air, especially with such a beautiful day!" Jared interrupted her, and Prompto could swear the man had winked at him.

"Oh, uhm… alright then" the girl mumbled.

"Then get a move!" Jared thundered jovially, clearing the table of the plates and rushing the two outside.

* * *

Iris had lied. She hadn't slept well at all that night. She had had a terrible nightmare about the yellow-eyed Daemon chasing her in a dark cave. She would run as fast as she could, screaming for help but no one ever came. In her dream, she could remember reaching a dead end and turning around to face her death.

Instead of the Daemon, however, standing in front of her was Noctis, a glacial expression in his normally warm eyes. He kept staring at her without saying a word when suddenly, a hooded figure emerged from the darkness beside Noctis. She noticed how the mysterious figure looked blurred and almost transparent.

Iris could only stare back at the two quiet people standing in front of her, growing more and more uneasy as she couldn't understand what to do.

And just like that, the dream had ended and she had woken up in the safety of her bedroom.

She was mulling over the meaning of her dream when she felt Prompto's hand poking her shoulder.

"Are you listening?" he asked worried.

She blinked a few times to focus on her surroundings, and saw that her companion was holding his camera in his right hand.

"I'm sorry" she apologized "I was lost in thought".

"Could see that. Are you alright?" Prompto asked with a frown.

"Yeah, all's fine! I've just… been having weird dreams lately" she confessed.

"Yeah, that's normal isn't it? After what happened, I mean. They call it post-traumatic syndrome, or somethin' like that" the boy retorted "You're a tough one, though. You'll get over it!"

"Will I?" she whispered distractedly. Prompto didn't seem to have heard her though, for he lifted his camera and aimed at her face.

"Wait, wha-?"

She didn't even have time to finish her sentence that Prompto had taken a picture of her, her mouth forming a large "O", and her eyes semi-closed.

"Pfff…!"

He tried his best not to laugh at the goofy face he had captured, but it got the best of him in the end, and he let himself go completely.

"Prompto Argentum, delete it this instant!" she ordered, trying to reach for the camera. He was too tall for her, however, and didn't have any troubles at keeping it away from her grip.

"No way! It's priceless. I think I'll use it for blackmail" the boy grinned slyly at her.

As they merrily bickered, they ended up in a large square where seemingly all of Lestallum had gathered to shop. It was by far the largest street market Prompto had ever seen, and he stared amazed at the variety of items for sale. From any sort of medications and weapons for hunters, to food, toys, videogames, magazines, clothes, and many other odd-looking things.

They slowly made their way through the crowd to take a better look at the booths, and Iris's eye was immediately caught by a giant plush doll.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement "It's so _cute_!"

Prompto saw the girl run off to the stand nearby and quickly went to catch up with her.

"What's that?" he asked, frowning at Iris who had proceeded to pick up the funny-looking toy.

"I believe they are called Moogles!" she replied enthusiastically.

"That's correct, ma'am!" approved the seller "You won't find a fluffier one in the whole continent, I assure you! I got that one from Altissia. I am giving it away for _only_ a thousand gils!"

At these words, Iris's expression went from over-excited to disappointed. She carefully placed the plush doll back to its place with a sad smile and left the booth.

Prompto watched in confusion but decided to follow her.

"I only have 500" she admitted bitterly, and then she sighed heavily. "I really need to find a job".

Prompto didn't know what to say to comfort her. He thought about rushing back to the booth and buying the doll for her, but then he remembered he was just as broke, possibly even worse, for he had spent most of his savings at the Wiz Chocobo Post, and simply remained silent.

They kept marveling at the different items available at each booth, when they head a familiar voice.

"Iris! Prompto!"

They turned simultaneously to be greeted by Noctis. "I see you're back on your feet!"

"Yeah" Prompto grinned at his friend "Takes more than one bloody Daemon to bring ol' Prompto down!"

"Hi Noct!" Iris saluted way too cheerfully, her cheeks now a deep shade of pink "Checking out the market too?"

"Yeah! Iggy and Gladio are here too, but Specs has been selecting spices at the food booth for ages, and Gladio ran off after a girl, so…" Noctis answered.

"Typical" Prompto said cheerfully "O. Em. Gee!"

Iris and Noctis both stared at the blonde. He had apparently seen something that had caught his eye.

At first, Iris thought he was drooling over a girl sitting on a bench not too far from them. The gunslinger moved quickly toward the girl and stood in front of her, expectantly.

Iris and Noctis approached their friend, until they were close enough to hear their conversation.

"Where did you get _that_?" the boy asked excitedly.

"Uhm?" the girl first looked at him, then at the ice-cream she was holding "At the ice-cream van. It's just around the corner".

Prompto barely let her finish her sentence that he was already on his way.

"Woohoo! Ice-cream!"

The three of them were now sitting on the stone terrace, enjoying a large ice-cream cone and the sun warming their skin up.

Iris was sitting between Noctis and Prompto, and could feel their skin brushing lightly against hers. The two boys were chattering animatedly, but she wasn't listening to their words. She had suddenly become very sensitive to their proximity, and tried to cherish the moment as much as she could. Now that Prompto had almost fully recovered, they would soon depart, leaving her alone once again. After all, her job was to simply show them the way to the next Royal Tomb, and then they would be gone and no one could tell when she would be seeing them again.

She would not be allowed to join them, for she lacked combat skills and because she was not a Crownsguard.

Refusing to let her thoughts darken her mood, she forced herself back to reality and focused on the bustling narrow alleys of her new home and registering her two friends' dialog.

How different their voices were! She had never noticed before, but did now: Noctis's was controlled and quiet, rarely showing his true emotions, while Prompto's was a burst of vitality, full of energy and joy. Iris had always been fascinated by Noctis for his being so dark and mysterious and reserved. But she had to admit that Prompto's very personality could cheer even the most depressed of the people up.

And man, she needed to be cheered up right now.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Prompto is fully recovered and can now leave Lestallum behind with the others. Iris finally gets to buy her Moogle plush doll, but a much bigger surprise awaits her...**


	12. The Quicksilver

On their way back home, Prompto had happily announced that, apart from his still sore hip, he was feeling perfectly fine, and this had brought a large smile on Noctis's face.

"I'll go and tell Gladio and Iggy, then! So we can prepare to depart early tomorrow. We should have dinner all together, tonight. Whaddya day, Iris? You with us?" Noctis said cheerfully.

"Uh? Oh, sure!" the girl nodded with a forced smile. She was obviously delighted at the thought of spending an evening with all of them, but she couldn't help but feel discouraged at the thought of them leaving the very next day. She had gotten so used to having them around, especially Prompto, that the thought of being left alone once again depressed her infinitely.

With a wave of his hand, the prince left to gather the others. They were to meet at seven at a diner located at the city's main square.

"So, you're leaving tomorrow, eh?" Iris said with a sad smile, walking beside Prompto.

"I guess" he answered a bit nostalgically "Gotta admit I'll miss this place. And hanging around with you. I was beginning to get used to doing nothing".

"Just like the old days back at Insomnia" Iris said with a hint of sadness "I miss those days…"

"Yeah" Prompto agreed "Guess that's adulthood for you. Just loads of responsibilities and problems piling up. And to think that when you're a kid, all you want is to be an adult".

"True!" Iris nodded "Ah well… What do you want to do now?"

"Uhm, I don't really need to pack anything but I was actually considering buying some few SD cards for my camera. Am starting to run low on space" he replied.

Iris followed the blonde to the local techno store and waited until he was finished. He took longer than expected as he couldn't stop staring in wonder at the camera add-ons available at the store, and he could have actually bought the entire place had he had enough money.

When they left, the sun was setting on their last day together.

"We should get going, then. The boys are gonna be there soon" Prompto suggested, clearly happy to be reunited with the rest of the group.

They made their way to the main square, where they could indeed recognize the figures of Ignis, Gladio and Noctis already sat at a table outside the diner.

They greeted each other and sat all together, eating and laughing while remembering some of the adventures they had had together on their journey. Iris listened eagerly, but had to admit she felt jealous. It sounded like they were having so much fun on their road trip, despite the worries and the difficulties, while she was stuck in a town where she didn't belong to.

Many times did she have to refrain herself from asking to join them, knowing full well what their answer would be.

"So, what're you gonna do in the meantime, lil' sis?" Gladio asked crossing one leg.

"Uh? I-I don't know yet" she answered flatly "Maybe apply for a job?"

"Sounds like a good idea" Ignis intervened.

"But hey, Cor said you had something for us?" Noctis asked, remembering what the marshal had told them.

"Oh, right! It's about one of the Royal Tombs. According to Jared, there's one behind a waterfall not too far from here. You should check it out" Iris answered, glad to be helpful.

"Very well. We have our lead, then" Ignis nodded approvingly "Make sure to go to bed early tonight, Noct. Wouldn't want to drag you out of bed".

Noctis simply snorted at his friend's words but didn't say anything back.

It was well past nine when Gladio yawned loudly, stretching his arms in the air and Ignis decided that was a clear sign it was time to rest.

"It was really nice to see you, lil' sis" Gladio patted Iris's shoulder "I guess I'll be seeing you soon, anyway. We might come back every now and then".

"Oh, that would be awesome!" Iris said way too cheerfully "And please, be careful out there, boys".

Her eyes automatically rested on Noctis first, then Prompto and really hoped she could see them all as soon as possible. They hadn't left yet and she already missed them.

She guessed Prompto would be sleeping at the hotel that night, seeing that he was leaving early with the others.

"Well…" she started a bit awkwardly "Safe travel, then! And remember to keep taking the pills Jared has given you. And look out for those bruises: you might be feeling well enough to depart, but they still look quite nasty".

"Yes, mom" the blond boy joked, grinning at her.

"I'm just worried about you, you know" Iris defended herself, blushing in the process.

Prompto put his right arm around her shoulder in what he considered a brotherly gesture, and gave her the thumb-up with his left one.

"I promise I'll look after myself and be careful" he reassured, beaming at her.

He had missed the furious blush that had colored her cheeks at his sudden display of affection as he let go of her.

"Thank you, Iris. For everything. And tell Jared I am eternally grateful for his kindness and help!" the gunslinger said while quickly stepping backwards, one hand lifted in the air to wave at her.

"Y-yeah. See you soon, Prompto" she replied, waving back.

When the four friends had disappeared behind a building, Iris was overcome with sadness and silently returned to her new home.

* * *

She woke up much later than she normally did. As soon as her eyes opened, staring directly at the sun peering through her window, she felt hollow as if something important was missing. She then remembered that the boys had probably already left for the Royal Tomb, and she was all alone in Lestallum with nothing to do.

However, the girl decided she should not mull too much over it if she didn't want to darken her mood even more, and forced herself out of bed.

While she walked across the narrow hallway on her way to the stairs, she instinctively stopped outside the room where Prompto had been staying for a couple of days. She blinked a few times and decided to step inside.

She walked carefully, as if afraid the boy was somehow still in the room unaware of her presence. But the bed was empty, neatly made again, the window shut and the whole room suddenly didn't look as cheerful as it had been when occupied by the photographer.

She approached the wardrobe where Jared's clothes he had borrowed were hanging, and she automatically leaned toward the shirt he had worn the day before and smelled his scent.

As soon as her brain registered the now familiar perfume, it automatically recollected the past few days the two had been spending together, and Iris felt a wave of nostalgia hit her.

She missed the boy so much, his beaming grin and eternally happy and positive attitude, the way he made her laugh with his cheesy puns, the photos he couldn't stop taking of anything and anyone, the sound of his cheerful voice…

She sighed heavily and she suddenly felt the same odd feeling in her stomach at the thought of the blond member of the group. However, Iris decided that all her stomach was signaling was the need for food, and proceeded downstairs to grab something before embarking on her quest to find a job.

* * *

It had been three weeks since she last had last seen the boys. She had managed to find a job at a café in the city center, and had just received her very first salary. She waited eagerly for the upcoming Thursday where she had planned to buy the Moogle plush she had eyed all those weeks before with Prompto at the market.

When the day finally came, she rushed to the booth where, to her relief, the cute plush doll was still waiting to find an owner.

"Oh, I see you're back" the seller greeted with a smile "What will it be today?"

"The Moogle plush, please" Iris replied excitedly, showing him the money.

"It's all yours, my dear!" the seller handed her the doll enthusiastically and pocketed the money.

Iris walked back home with the large Moogle in her arms, grinning at her success.

Ever since she had first seen the doll, she had thought to give it to Noctis as a gift. He could use it in battle to distract the enemies, and so she could feel like she was actually assisting him from afar.

However, she couldn't simply ignore the fact that her thoughts seemed to wander off to Prompto when she least expected it. He occupied her thoughts more often than she liked to admit, and couldn't find a logic explanation to that.

She had tried to tell herself that he, being the ball of sunshine that he naturally was, had managed to find his way to her heart, gaining a special place there together with the rest of the people she cared about. But she refused to let him take Noctis's place at the very center of her heart, and had simply labeled him as "a very special friend". But she wasn't supposed to feel that odd sensation deep within her stomach every time she thought about him, right?

The very same sensation that she had whenever she daydreamed about Noctis.

She shook her head and hugged her Moogle tightly, as if it could protect her from her own thoughts.

She arrived home and ran upstairs, where she flopped onto her bed and curled up into a ball, her new doll lying beside her. She started to fiddle absentmindedly with it, stroking the back of the plush until her hand rested on a part that somehow felt hollow. Frowning, the girl sat up on the bed and placed the doll on her lap, turning it so she was facing its back and immediately spotted something at the bottom left.

It looked like a battery compartment, though extremely hard to see for it was perfectly concealed, but she knew the doll wasn't equipped with any particular special function which required batteries.

She then proceeded to remove the casing and marveled at what she saw.

Resting in the cavity inside was a round, red stone.

"Wha-what's this?" she whispered while automatically reaching for the stone.

Her fingers curled around it and, to her surprise, it felt much softer than she had expected.

She removed the mysterious stone from its socket and examined it closely.

How came the seller, or even the previous owner, had never noticed? It had been so easy to find…

Holding the stone between her thumb and index finger, she stretched her arm toward the window, so that the sunrays were hitting the surface. She then noticed that something was inside the stone. Taking a closer look, she could tell that what seemed like tiny crimson globes were swirling at the very heart of the object.

The girl spent most of the afternoon sat on her bed, marveling at the beauty of the stone she was holding, studying the way the globes were dancing around, almost hypnotically.

She was brought back to reality by the sound of a door opening and closing downstairs. Jared and Talcott were back.

The girl rushed downstairs and approached the old man.

"Oh, Iris! Back home so early?" he greeted in his usual kind tone "Did you get to buy that Moogle doll?"

"Yeah" the young girl replied "And I found this inside it".

She held out the stone which he promptly took in his hands and examined it curiously. Iris knew she had found something extremely valuable upon reading the man's expression, turning from smiling peacefully to utter shock.

"What's that, grandpa?" Talcott asked, looking up.

"This-this…!" the man was in a state of pure shock and could barely speak.

Iris and Talcott stared back at the man, until he regained enough composure to continue.

"Iris… this stone… it's the legendary Quicksilver!" he revealed, but neither the girl or his little grandson reacted the way he had imagined.

"You… you've never heard of it?" the man asked in shock "It's one of the most popular myths".

Iris shook her head and Jared gestured for her to take a seat, as it was his custom when about to tell a long story.

"It is told that hundreds of years ago, the Six bestowed a sacred stone upon the King of Lucis to aid him in his mission to protect the Crystal. The stone, known as Quicksilver, had the power to stop time at the King's will, and even to rewind it. Truth be told, the stone held many other powers that have never been discovered, for the King had been so greedy with it, exploiting the stone for his own purposes, that the Six decided to limit its incredible powers and, eventually, took it away from the King forcefully. It has been told the Six destroyed the stone for good, for its might had started a war among humans. It is said that the stone was the original cause of the never ending fight between the kingdom of Lucis and the Empire, until memories of the Quicksilver vanished from the men's minds, but the conflict remained".

"But… if the Six destroyed it, how come I have it?" Iris asked wide-eyed. She couldn't believe she was holding such an almighty and legendary object, which was possibly the very cause of the war they were fighting that very moment.

"My knowledge of the facts ends here. It is, after all, just a myth and yet here it is" Jared admitted, eying the stone in awe.

"What do I do with it now?" Iris asked, studying the stone in her palm. If what Jared had said was true, how could such a tiny thing hold so much power?

"For now, make sure you keep it safe, and do not mention it to anyone. This is vital, Iris. When the prince comes back, it is only fair the stone is returned to him. It does belong to the King of Lucis, after all" Jared stated in a serious tone.

Iris nodded and closed her fingers around the stone, amazed at its considerable weight despite the dimensions.

"Remember, Iris" Jared warned once again while standing up "You must keep it safe even if it means sacrificing your life. The fate of our country rests upon your shoulders right now".

* * *

 **Next Chapter: the boys come back to Lestallum for a visit. Iris delivers the Quicksilver to its rightful owner, but insists on joining them on an adventure to test its powers.**


	13. Joining Them

"Hey sis! Guess who's coming 'round?"

Iris's eyes widened at her brother's words.

"You guys coming back to Lestallum?" she almost screamed, and then blushed furiously when her colleagues turned to stare at her while having their lunch break.

"Yeah! Should be there in a few hours!" Gladio confirmed.

"Awesome! I'm done in a couple of hours, so I'll be there to greet you!" Iris was beaming in delight at the thought of meeting up with her friends and her brother again.

She ended the call and came back to work, her smile never leaving her face.

"You look particularly radiant today, Iris. Something happened?" Ferguson, her boss, approached her with a smile.

"My brother and my friends are coming back to town!" Iris explained excitedly "I haven't seen them in over a month now, so it's nice to spend some quality time with them".

"I see. Well, why don't you just head back home and get ready? We're way too many at work right now and not many customers. What do you say?" Ferguson suggested, but Iris was already taking her apron off.

"I say it's a great offer! Thanks, Ferg!" she said gratefully "See you on Monday, then!"

It was a Friday, and she was off both Saturday and Sunday, which meant she could enjoy the weekend with the boys.

All in all, she thought she had deserved some time off. She had been working the last three weekends, occasionally taking up extra shifts for her colleagues, AND she had been taking care of the Quicksilver, which was safely hidden in her super-special-secret place in her bedroom.

She almost ran back home, took a long shower and decided to put on her Lucian, black skirt with matching shirt and high boots for the occasion. She was, after all, officially handing a royal item to the King-to-be.

When she was done with her hair and make-up, she noticed she had gotten a message from Gladio.

" _Be there in 10 min_ "

For some reason, Iris felt nervous. Her heart was suddenly thumping at the thought of seeing them. She sighed heavily to try and calm down, and then proceeded to retrieve the Quicksilver from its box.

She pocketed the precious stone and made for the door, ignoring the strange feeling in her stomach.

When she arrived at the stone terrace, which had become their usual meeting point, Gladio and the others were waiting for her, chatting merrily.

Her heart kicked more furiously when her eyes fell on the dark-haired prince, and once again when she spotted Prompto's unruly blond hair.

The gunslinger was the first to notice her presence, his eyes lighting up and giving her his signature beaming grin.

"Hey, beautiful!" he greeted cheerfully. Iris pretended not to notice the murderous look Gladio gave him upon hearing his words.

"Hello everyone! Long time no see" she greeted back, giving her best smile.

She could tell they were all genuinely happy to see her, and it looked like they needed some good rest after a month sleeping in a tent.

"There's a lot we need to talk about" she said while the group of friends made their way to the usual diner.

"Oh?" Prompto intervened "Good or bad?"

"Depends on how you see it" she answered with a giggle.

Her words had obviously picked their curiosity, for everyone was now staring expectantly at her from across the table.

She blushed at the sudden attention, but cleared her throat and reached for her pocket.

She gestured for them to lean closer and, when they did, she carefully extracted the stone from her pocket and showed it to them.

"What's that?" Prompto asked, eyeing the curious object in awe.

Ignis gave him a reproachful look. "Quicksilver" he whispered.

"No!" Gladio and Noctis said in unison. Prompto kept staring at the stone blankly.

"Please, don't mind a common pleb. Just continue as If I weren't here" the blonde said nonchalantly, leaning backwards and resting both his arms behind his head.

"The Quicksilver" Ignis explained calmly "is a legendary stone created by the Six to help the Kings of Lucis in their effort to defend the Crystal from external attacks".

"Oh? How come King Regis never had it, then?" Prompto asked again, his interest piqued.

"Because it was supposedly destroyed centuries ago, for it was too powerful and because countries had begun going to war to gain its might" Noctis said impatiently "I don't get it…"

Ignis was rubbing his chin, deep in thought. "Apparently legends are only partially true. Or maybe the one stating its destruction was just a mean to make mankind forget about its existence".

"Didn't really work out that well, though" Gladio remarked "Considering that we're still at war against the Empire".

"Yeah but that's to gain control of Lucis, no?" Prompto retorted.

"Yes and no. The war is said to have started because of this very stone" Ignis explained "How did you find it, anyway?"

Iris told them of her quest to buy the Moogle, and how she had discovered the secret compartment in which the stone had been placed.

"Of all places…" Noctis said sarcastically "In a bloody Moogle!"

"Well, I believe this belongs to you now, Noct" Iris said with a smile, handing the stone to the prince.

He took it in his hands, and could barely believe what he was holding.

"How does it work?" he asked.

"I believe only a royal can obtain its powers. So that's up to you to find out, Noct" Ignis replied.

"I wanna try it out!" the prince smirked eagerly.

"Uhm, what does it actually do?" Prompto inquired without diverting his blue eyes from the stone.

"Jared told me it can manipulate time" Iris intervened "Oh Noct, if you're testing it, can I come too? Please?"

"Out of question" Gladio retorted immediately.

"Of course you can!" Noctis and Prompto replied at the same time. Gladio gave the prince an "are-you-mad?"-look.

"Sorry, Gladdy. She found it so she has the right to witness its powers" Noctis smirked at his muscular friend "I'm irremovable on this".

Gladio rolled his eyes but didn't retort, and Iris almost wanted to jump in joy. She was finally going on an adventure with them!

"It's getting late, though. We do not know whether the stone still works or not, and it might be dangerous to be stuck out there with the Daemon lurking in the shadows. Let's wait until tomorrow. We do have a hunt to complete, and we can take advantage of the situation" Ignis suggested.

Everyone agreed with the wise member of the party, and proceeded to the hotel room they had rented. Iris stayed with them for a cup of coffee, listening eagerly at the four friends talking about their latest adventures.

"Well, enough about us" Prompto interrupted "What about you, Iris? What have you been up to lately?"

"Oh, nothing special, really" the girl blushed "My life pales in comparison to yours, guys. Just been working at a local café".

"Nothing special? Can't leave you alone a sec, that you go and stumble upon a legendary, long-forgotten stone!" the blonde mocked with a smirk.

Iris couldn't help but chuckle at his comment. When she had finished her coffee, she bid them goodnight and headed back home, feeling light-hearted at the thought of embarking on her first adventure with her favorite boys.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Iris wakes up too early and bumps into a certain photographer. Iris and Prompto have breakfast together before departing :D**


	14. Not My Type Anyway

**So, because of a terrible snowstorm in Norway, our last flight (and consequently our night stop) was cancelled. Which means I can return home and post a new chapter :D  
Also, the sequel to this story is officially finished! I am even drawing my own, original cover picture, and I can't wait to let you all read it! ^^  
**

* * *

Iris woke up at the first lights of dawn, the sky still relatively dark. She couldn't help it. She was over-excited at the thought of joining the prince and his Crownsguards, and went to get ready. She wore the same outfit as the day before, being one of the most comfortable for traveling.

She didn't bother to grab any sorts of weapon, considering that she didn't even know how to lift a sword, and simply counted on the fact that the four boys would protect her if they got attacked.

She made herself a sandwich, as silently as possible so to not disturb Jared and Talcott who were still sleeping, and then went out to take an early walk. She sighed contentedly as the fresh breeze caressed her skin. Her feet brought her to the main square, so uncharacteristically empty, and her mind suddenly raced to Prompto. She imagined the blond boy taking pictures of the beautiful city at dawn, with close to zero people around.

She jumped when someone tapped on her shoulder, and whirled around to look at the person who had interrupted her train of thoughts. Her heart skipped a beat when she found herself face to face with the very young man she had just been thinking about.

"'Morning, early bird!" he exclaimed happily "What're you doin' up so early?"

"I-I… wasn't very tired, and decided to take a walk" she stuttered, blushing slightly "W-what about you?"

"Me? Ah! Taking fresh pics, of course! Didn't have many chances to take some good shots out in the wilderness, so I thought I could make up for that now" he grinned and, without warning, went to position himself beside her, wrapped his left arm around her waist and, with the other, aimed his camera at their faces and snapped away.

Iris froze at the unexpected touch of his hand gently lingering on her side, and her cheeks reddened even more. To her horror, her blush was clearly visible in the picture he had just taken.

"D'you think it's cold?" he asked, staring intently at the picture.

"N-not at all!" Iris replied, feeling anything but cold "Why do you ask?"

"'cause you're all red in your face. Doesn't that happen when it's cold? Blood rushes to the freezing parts of your body when it's too cold, or somethin' like that" he explained, failing to understand what was really going on. Iris sighed in relief.

"Well, it _is_ a bit cold" she lied.

"Well, you shouldn't go out without a jacket then" he pretended to scold her, and then started unzipping his black jacket. Iris stared blankly at the blonde taking his jacket off and offering it to her.

She didn't have a choice but to wear it, becoming immediately engulfed in his scent.

"Better?" he asked kindly.

"Yeah" she said, feeling warmer than she had ever been in Lestallum.

The boy simply grinned at her, and she had to look away to prevent blushing any further.

" _How is he_ _always this happy?"_ she thought bitterly _"He's the jolliest guy I've ever met!"_

"Wooow! Iris, look at that!"

Iris turned in the direction Prompto had indicated, and was marveled at the sight of the rising sun painting the town pink and orange.

Prompto quickly grabbed his camera once again, taking pictures of the beautiful sight, and then turned to face her.

"Don't move!" he ordered.

"Wha-?" Iris stared surprised at him, and realized he had just stolen another picture of her.

"Sorry, I just _had_ to. You looked so blissful and… pretty" he admitted, stuttering on the last word.

For the second time that morning, Iris blushed violently at the compliment.

They kept walking side by side in silence, Prompto occasionally taking more pictures and they watched as the town started to get back to business. People could finally be seen ushering out of their homes to go to work, elder ladies hanging freshly washed clothes outside and shops opening.

"Are you hungry?" Prompto asked suddenly.

"I ate a sandwich earlier, but I'd be lying if I said that was enough" she confessed. Prompto smirked and gestured for her to follow him.

They stepped into a cozy-looking café and approached the counter. Iris ordered a black coffee and a croissant, while Prompto chose a blueberry muffin and a cappuccino.

"No way, girl" he said, gently pushing her hand away "This is on me".

"What? No, you don't need to!" she tried to protest, but the boy simply shook his head and handed the money to the cashier.

"It's nothing, really. The boys and I have been on a few hunts, and got _plenty_ of money for the effort. And I don't mind using it if I get to spend some quality time with you" he said jovially, while starting feasting on his food.

His words managed to catch her off guard again, silencing her feeble attempts at protesting. He kept complimenting her, buying her food and seemed to genuinely enjoy being around her. She didn't have much experience with boys, but had enough girlfriends at school to know what his behavior meant.

He obviously liked her, at least so she suspected. Or was she simply hoping he did? After all, she had never received any attentions from other boys.

"Why so serious?" he asked, frowning at her thoughtful expression.

"Uh? Nothing, really!" she replied in a high-pitched voice. They kept eating in silence, and she couldn't help but smile tenderly at the boy's satisfied expression.

"Prompto?"

"Mhm?"

"Is-is there any girl you like?" she asked boldly, resting her chin in her palm in an attempt to look nonchalant and casual. The gunslinger almost chocked on his piece of muffin, obviously not expecting such a question.

"Ehm..." he started, a slight blush beginning to color his freckled face "Well-"

He took a deep breath before speaking again. "Yes."

Iris felt her stomach twitch and her heart speed up. Prompto's expression suddenly turned dreamy, as if he was picturing someone in front of him.

"Ehm, may I- may I ask who she is?" Iris tried carefully.

"Well, her name is…" he started, before pausing for a few seconds. "Her name is Cindy".

"Oh…" Iris said, her voice sounding dangerously disappointed. She cleared her throat and forced a beaming smile "That's awesome! Do you have a picture of her?"

"Yeah, of course!" he replied enthusiastically, and went to rummage in his backpack in search of the photo album.

"Here she is, the goddess of Hammerhead!" he said dramatically.

Iris focused on the stunning blond girl posing beside a very much happy Prompto, with what seemed like a garage and a gas station in the background. She was _hot_ , and obviously knew it judging by the outfit she was wearing. It was _revealing_ , to say the least.

She could tell that Cindy girl must have dozens of boys drooling over her, following her like puppies and her face immediately fell. What chances did she have with any boy when girls like _her_ walked the earth?

"She- she is really pretty" Iris said, handing him back his album and plastering a forced smile on her face.

"I know, right!" Prompto agreed approvingly, his eyes dangerously fixed on Cindy's revealing chest.

Iris couldn't understand why she felt so sad, so disappointed, so _angry_. But she should have expected it. Just because Prompto was acting all nice and friendly around her, didn't mean he was interested in her. For all she knew, he acted that way with any human being, both female and male, and she wasn't any exception.

" _Who cares"_ she thought _"He's not my type anyway"_.

She told herself she had hoped he would confess his crush on her out of pure selfishness, because her female ego needed to be told that some guy had fallen for her, that she occupied a special place in someone's heart, even if that meant breaking it for not requiting his love. Instead, she ended up getting hers broken.

No, wait. What? Her heart was not broken. Not because of bloody Prompto Argentum. Noctis was sitting on the throne that had been his place for all those years. Right?

So yeah. What she was feeling was nothing more but disappointment, for she had briefly convinced herself that Prompto Argentum had developed a crush on her. But of course he was after sexy Cindy.

"So, are you two- ehm, together?" she asked tentatively, trying as hard as she could to sound genuinely happy for him.

"Not really" he answered flatly, his face falling a bit "She is _"married to her work"_. He air quoted.

"Sorry to hear that" she said, frowning at the fact that she wasn't sorry at all.

"Nah, it's alright" the blonde said, attacking the last pieces of his muffin.

Iris looked outside the large windows by the table they were sitting at, and could see the streets were finally bustling with people, as usual.

"Ready when you are" she hinted, chuckling at Prompto downing the whole mug of cappuccino in one sip in his haste to leave.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Noctis tries the Quicksilver, but something goes wrong. Iris meets Cindy. Iris is jealous?**


	15. Because He Has The Potential To

**Helloooo! I am currently chilling in a hotel room with terrible Wi-Fi as I suspected. However, having expected this, I prepared a few chapters in advance and am posting them from my phone. Hooray for 4G! ^^**

* * *

"Quiet now".

They were all crouching behind a tall bush, observing the giant venomous toad from afar.

"We need a strategy" said Ignis, studying the enemy intently.

"We need to make it quick" retorted Gladio, who looked like he couldn't wait to fight.

"We need to try the Quicksilver" Noctis joined.

"…or snap a pic?" Prompto suggested with a mocking smirk.

"Gladio, you're going first. Noctis, you're going immediately after, but make sure you keep your distance and use the stone's power. Prompto and I will cover you. Iris, you wait here" Ignis ordered, with Gladio already on his way to attack the monster.

Iris could only watch as the prince ran after her brother, holding the stone in one hand, and Ignis and Prompto standing respectively on the right and the left side of the battlefield.

Gladio was furiously attacking the giant toad, while Prompto helped from the distance with his twin guns. Iris marveled at the blond boy grinning and telling jokes in the middle of a fight. " _How bloody cheeky"_ she thought _._

"Noct, now!" Ignis shouted, while throwing his daggers.

Iris could see Noctis was squeezing the stone with all his might, and focusing as much as possible, but nothing was happening.

"Uh-oh!" Prompto exclaimed "Doesn't seem to be working!"

"But why?" Noctis said through greeted teeth, visibly frustrated.

"It's been idle for hundreds years, Noct. For all we know, the Six might not have destroyed the stone, but they may have depleted it of its powers" Ignis theorized, while taking cover behind a boulder.

"Damn the stone! Just get your ass over here and help, Noct!" Gladio shouted, parrying the attacks that were being thrown at him.

"What? Can't take it down by yourself?" the prince mocked, teleporting by his side.

The four friends took at least twenty minutes to finish the monster off, which had put up quite a fierce fight before succumbing.

"You ok there, sis?" Gladio asked.

Iris nodded, watching the boys brush the dust off their clothes. Noctis was intently staring at the stone with a confused expression.

"I don't think it's inactive" the prince muttered "Look at those globes inside. It seems to me that it still holds some powers".

For the first time in his life, Ignis didn't know what to reply to that. He genuinely had no idea why Noctis, in whose veins obviously flowed royal blood, was not able to use the stone's powers.

"Ah well, at least we completed the hunt! Now all we need to do it to report back and pocket the money" Prompto said cheerfully.

"Uhm, we'll need to drive all the way back to Hammerhead, though" Ignis pondered "But if you want to, Iris, you can join us there and camp with us once we've turned in our little hunt".

The girl's eyes widened instantly and she accepted eagerly.

And so, the five friends sat in the beautiful Regalia and began driving toward Hammerhead. Iris was sandwiched between her brother, who was concentrated on a book, and the sleeping form of Noctis.

Ignis kept his eyes on the road, and Prompto was resting his head on his crossed arms, both placed on the car door. Iris imagined they were all feeling a bit drained after the battle, and didn't say anything not to disturb them. The first to speak, of course, was Prompto.

"So Iris, have you ever been to Hammerhead before?"

"Uhm, not really, no. Jared drove past it on our way to Lestallum, so I didn't really have a chance to explore" the girl answered truthfully. Not that she had wanted to explore, anyway. The area was basically a wide, deserted wasteland surrounded by rocks and dust.

Gladio looked up from his book and eyed the blond party member with an amused expression.

"We all know why you're so eager to come back to Hammerhead, Prom". Ignis chuckled lightly and Prompto blushed. Gladio, seeing his sister's confused expression, grinned widely. "He's got his eyes on a girl, y'know. One hell of a hottie if you ask me, which is enough of a reason why he should give up already".

"Shut up, Gladio!" Prompto complained, gesticulating furiously.

Iris didn't say anything. She was too busy regretting the idea of joining them in the first place. Now she was forced to meet the "Hammerhead goddess" who would lower her self-esteem even more.

After what seemed like an eternity, the car started decelerating and Ignis parked by a large garage at the Hammerhead gas station.

Iris recognized her immediately: the beautiful, fit blond girl from Prompto's picture, still dressed in her revealing yellow jacket, almost fully unzipped to show a pair of solid breasts barely covered by a red bra, and denim shorts.

 _"_ _That girl doesn't leave much to the imagination"_ Iris thought bitterly.

"Back already?" Cindy greeted them with a large smile, revealing perfect white teeth "Oh, y'all got company!"

"She's my little sister, Iris" Gladio introduced her, and Iris faked a smile to the other girl.

"Nice to meet ya, Iris. Name's Cindy" the blonde sayd with a genuine smile.

That simple smile made Iris feel possibly even worse: from the picture she had seen of the girl, and the way she dressed herself, she had imagined an over-confident woman that took pride in stealing men's hearts and crushing them. Instead, she had to admit that Cindy looked like a really nice person too.

"H-hey there, Cindy!" Prompto approached the girl, stuttering slightly. Iris could sense his nervousness from miles away.

"Hey there, Mr. Cameraman! Did ya take any nice pics lately?"

The two conversed for a few minutes, and Iris was forced to watch the awkward scene in front of her in which Prompto was lamely trying to flirt, and Cindy either too kind or too blind to notice. Most likely the former, Iris thought.

"I'm going for a walk" Iris said coolly.

"Don't go too far, lil' sis. We're just buying some supplies, fueling and then we're good to go again".

Iris simply waved her hand in dismissal and walked around the gas station, observing the dull view surrounding the area.

What was wrong with her? Why did the thought of Prompto flirting with another girl affect her so much?

She ran a hand through her hair in distress, breathing more heavily. That sassy young man with his stupid puns was slowly making his way to a special room in her heart, where she liked to keep her closest friends as well as her family. However, she would not let this new friendship develop any further. She couldn't, because she knew that the happy-go-lucky joker of the party had the potential to become something more important...No. Noctis. Noctis was the one she had always loved and would forever love no matter what. And yet, she couldn't deny that she had been thinking of the blond gunslinger, his mocking grin, his musical voice, his jolly personality, way more than she liked to admit...

Iris grabbed the sides of her head with both her hands and shut her eyes, in a desperate attempt to clear her mind of all thoughts and her heart of the ache she was feeling.

She wasn't sure how long she had been standing behind the garage all alone, trying to make sense of her situation.

"Here you are!" It was Prompto. "Iggy says we can get going now. The camp's not far from here, so we're walk- Are you alright?"

The boy suddenly stopped when he saw Iris's expression, what looked like confusion and… was that _fear_ he saw in her eyes?

He instinctively approached her, putting one hand on her shoulder but she immediately pushed him away and distanced herself from the photographer. She didn't miss the flash of hurt and confusion that crossed his features.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing, Prompto. Just… go. I'll be there in a second" the girl replied, trying to regain her composure.

"O-ok" the boy muttered and returned to the others to give her time to pull herself together.

When she finally mustered the courage to turn the corner and join the others, they were all sitting at a table with an old man.

"There you are, sis! Enjoying your stay?" Gladio grinned at her.

"Very much". No one but Prompto seemed to have caught the sarcasm in her voice. The gunslinger gave her a sympathetic look but didn't say anything. She was grateful he hadn't told the others he had basically seen her on the verge of crying for no apparent reason.

"Ah well, boys. It was nice talkin' to ya all but I suggest you get goin' before it gets too dark" the old man, Cid, said while standing up.

The others followed suit and, after bidding goodnight to the man and Cindy, they all grabbed their backpacks and started walking to the camp.

"Oi Prompto. Something's wrong?" Noctis asked his best friend.

"Uh? No, why?" the gunslinger replied in surprise.

"You're _way_ too silent, and that's not a good sign" the dark-haired prince explained.

"True. Did Cindy get your tongue?" Gladio mocked him, causing everyone but Prompto and Iris to chuckle.

When they arrived, the sun was setting, casting some color on the dull wastelands. As Gladio and Noctis started preparing the tent, making sure Iris had enough private space for herself, Ignis was already busy with kneading the dough, and she and Prompto were left to take care of the bonfire.

The girl reluctantly followed the blonde, too ashamed to be left alone with him after her outburst. They began picking up wood around the campsite in silence, none of them daring to speak first.

"This should be enough" Prompto said after several minutes, eying the pile of wood they had collected "Let's head back".

They all enjoyed the delicious Italian-style pizza Ignis had made for the special occasion, discussing trivial things before returning to the topic of the mysterious stone.

Noctis had removed it from his left pocket and held it in front of him. Everyone's gaze fixed on the Quicksilver, which was mesmerizing them all with its crimson color, shining brighter than ever in the dark.

"I do believe it still holds some powers in it" Noctis commented "It looks _alive_ ".

"I agree" Ignis admitted "But I honestly cannot understand why it won't work".

"Maybe you're not ready to use it, yet. Maybe it senses your insecurities" Gladio intervened.

"Maybe. Or maybe there's more to it" Ignis continued, massaging his chin as he always did when deep in thought.

Noctis sighed heavily and pocketed the tiny stone again.

"Coffee anyone?" Ignis offered, grabbing the thermos before anyone could answer.

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 **Aaaah, our sunshine is making Iris a bit confused, now :) And what happens next will confuse her even more :D  
Next Chapter: the Quicksilver chooses its new wielder. Iris becomes the fifth official party member! The five friends meet Titan.**


	16. Room For One More

**Ugh! So I left my comfy, luxurious hotel room this morning only to find myself in a crappy wooden cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere, here in northern Norway. It's snowing, this "hotel" has absolutely nothing, the room is creepy (looks more like a bomb shelter to me) and there are spiders EVERYWHERE! At least internet is good though, so I can cheer myself up a bit by uploading a new chap for y'all x)**

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She was running for her life through a dark cave. She was panting heavily, barely managing to move her legs any further, but she knew she had to continue. She would die if she stopped. The terrible sounds behind her encouraged her to keep moving.

She froze when she found herself at a dead end. She slowly turned around, prepared to meet the Daemon that would end her life in an atrocious way. But her eyes didn't lock with the monster's bright yellow ones, but with a pair of dark blue ones. Noctis was staring at her in silence, his expression glacial.

This was starting to feel familiar. Iris already knew what was going to happen next.

And indeed, a hooded figure emerged from the darkness and stepped forward, standing beside the prince. Iris noticed how Noctis looked slightly blurrier now, while the mysterious stranger was becoming clearer…

Iris woke up with a startle. She yawned and stirred before unceremoniously dropping her hands to each of her sides, recovering from her nightmare. Her left elbow fell on something hard and she turned around to see what it was.

She yelped when she found herself inches away from Prompto's face, his eyes still closed. Upon impact with her arm, however, the boy slowly started to open his eyelids, his arm automatically lifting to massage the spot on his head where he had been hit.

They both stared at each other, Iris too horrified to speak and Prompto way too sleepy and confused. The silence was broken by someone screaming outside the tent.

"The stone! It's gone!"

Prompto frowned and seemed to have fully awaken at the sound of Noctis's words. He jumped out of his covers and rushed outside, Iris following shortly after.

"What's going on?" the gunslinger asked.

"The Quicksilver! I had it with me when I went to bed yesterday and now... it's gone!" Noctis explained agitated.

"Calm down, maybe you dropped it in the tent" Ignis tried to reassure "Let's take a look".

"You won't need to".

Everyone suddenly stopped and turned to the only female member of their group. The girl had one hand in her pajama pants pocket, and extracted the crimson stone.

"Iris? Why did you take it from Noct?" Gladio asked in disbelief.

"I didn't" she replied truthfully "I just realized it was in my pocket. I swear I didn't take it from you, Noct".

"I believe you" the prince reassured "I know you wouldn't do such a thing".

"So how did it end up in her pocket anyway?" Prompto asked in confusion.

"That's quite the mystery" Ignis commented.

Iris returned the Quicksilver to its rightful owner but, as soon as the stone came in contact with Noctis's hand, it disappeared from their sight.

"Wha-?!" they all exclaimed.

"It's… in my pocket, again" Iris said.

"Oh my word" Ignis commented "I think I'm starting to understand…"

"Will you be so kind as to explain it to us too? 'Cause I'm honestly quite lost" Gladio remarked, crossing his strong arms.

"The stone is still fully effective. It's just that… Noctis doesn't seem to have been chosen as its wielder" the spectacled man explained.

"What? Do you mean Iris has?" Prompto intervened.

"I believe so" Ignis nodded solemnly. He proved his theory when he approached the girl and took the stone from her grasp. The Quicksilver immediately disappeared from his hands and reappeared in Iris's ones.

"Un-freakin'-believable!" Prompto whistled "That's one hell of a plot twist!"

"But how can this be?" Iris asked, unable to believe what Ignis had said "I am no royalty".

"I am certain that the stone doesn't exclusively obey to royals. I believe it selects its new owner if it considers him or her worthy enough" Ignis continued "Not that you're not worthy, Noctis. But the stone must have sensed something special with Iris".

"I'm not complaining" Noctis admitted, resting one hand on his right hip "Just a bit disappointed, maybe. But I trust Iris will make good use of it".

"What are you implying, Noct?" Gladio said "My sister cannot be left taking care of such a dangerous object. That thing almost brought our world to an end, and you want her to keep it?"

"She doesn't have a choice. The stone wants her and her only" Ignis said reasonably.

Gladio snorted and ran a hand through his long, dark hair.

"Well, we can't leave her in Lestallum" her brother continued "The Empire will eventually find out. It seems to me that the stone becomes brighter each day it stays with Iris, and this will only cause her troubles".

"Indeed" Ignis agreed "What do you say, Noct?"

"I say we've got room for one more in our car" the prince smiled approvingly.

"Wh-what?" Iris could not believe her ears. Were they basically inviting her to join them?

"Welcome to the family, Ir!" Prompto enthusiastically patted her shoulder with a wide grin.

Iris could only stare in disbelief and confusion as the boys elected her as their fifth, permanent party member.

When they returned to Lestallum to let Iris collect her belongings and say goodbye to Jared and Talcott, as well as telling Ferguson he needed to find a new employee, Noctis began acting weird.

He had been complaining about a terrible headache which was now plaguing him again with visions of something –or someone- waiting for him there.

The group of friends had instantly decided to check the place out as soon as possible.

On their way to the car, they were greeted by a mysterious-looking man with long, curly hair and a long coat, a man the four boys seemed to have met before. Iris didn't have a good feeling about him, for some reason. He acted in quite a friendly way, but she couldn't get herself to trust him, not one bit. She sensed that something was off with him, and her suspicions grew stronger when she felt the stone in her pocket on the verge of igniting.

The man, who revealed to be called Ardyn, seemed to know what was plaguing the prince, and offered to guide them to the Disc of Cauthess.

Iris had to simply accept the idea of getting in the car with the others and follow Ardyn's one all the way to their new destination. To her relief, none of them seemed to like the guy too much either, and they all agreed to keep their eyes open and watch their back.

They arrived at the entrance, and at that point Ardyn took his leave.

The five friends walked the short distance that separated them and the Royal Tomb lying in the middle of the Disc, and Noctis obtained a new weapon. Their triumphant expressions didn't last long, as the earth under their feet started shaking violently, and the bridge they were standing on quickly began to crumble.

"RUN!"

They tried to run as fast as they could toward the exit, but everything collapsed at such a quick pace that Noctis eventually fell down the ravine. Gladio immediately turned around to join him, and the group got separated.

Ignis, Prompto and Iris rushed to the edge of the ravine and all sighed in relief when they saw both the prince and Gladio had made it out alive.

"We'll try to find a way down there!" Ignis shouted.

The three of them started descending the mountain when something made the blood freeze in their veins: a gigantic Titan, which no one had previously noticed believing it to be a mountain, had awaken, its voice a cacophony of unintelligible sounds. The Titan was focused on the small figures of Gladio and Noctis, who were trying to keep as much distance from the god as possible.

Things got possibly worse when the giant began attacking the two boys, and when the unmistakable sounds of Magitek engines could be heard above their heads.

Iris's heart was hammering furiously against her rib cage: she couldn't see a way out of this mess, not with an angry god and the Empire determined to kill them.

"Aw, gimme a break!" Prompto huffed at the desperate sight in front of him.

The Magitek engines were shooting at the Titan which, in return, was trying its best to squash Noctis with its huge arm.

The five finally reunited at the bottom of the pit, fighting both the god and the Empire at the best of their abilities.

"Iris, take cover!" Gladio shouted, while swinging his great sword.

The girl turned on her heel to find shelter but was greeted by the sight of a Magitek soldier staring down at her, his emotionless eyes fixed on her frightened face.

The soldier lifted his arm to hit her when he suddenly fell dead.

"You alright?" Prompto rushed by her side, and Iris could now see a smoking hole in the soldier's forehead.

"Yeah, thanks Prompto" she said gratefully.

"That's what friends are for!" the boy grinned, and returned to assist his other brothers-in-arms.

"Right" she whispered to herself. Somehow, his words had stirred something in her. She didn't want to hide. She wanted to prove she could take care of herself, that she could help too.

She briefly watched the desperate scene in front of her eyes: Noctis could barely keep up with the Titan's fury, and for every Magitek soldier killed, it seemed that ten more came in their place.

"This is not working" she muttered, extracting the stone "Please, get us out of this mess".

She brought the stone close to her face, closed her eyes and… hoped.

She felt the stone growing hot, the warm sensation spreading through her body. It gave her strength and motivation.

She opened her eyes determinedly, and watched in disbelief as the Magitek soldiers, as well as the engines hovering over them, froze in time and space, suspended in a moment that would never end.

Some had stopped while walking across the ground to reach their opponent, others had their vacant eyes trailed on the Titan, and others had their arms lifted in mid-air ready to strike.

It was quiet. The uproar of the battle had suddenly ceased, and everyone was staring in wonder.

The Titan, however, didn't seem to have been affected. It had stopped tormenting the prince and was now fully focused on the tiny stone that Iris was holding in her palm.

Then it spoke with its deep, metallic voice which resonated throughout the valley and in their very heads.

Iris didn't need to speak the language of the god to understand what it was talking about, but couldn't tell whether it was good or bad.

The four boys took this distraction as their chance to strike back. Prompto, Ignis and Gladio used the prince's borrowed ice spell to freeze the god's arm, while Noctis exploited the power of his sword to destroy it for good. Without its support, the god fell miserably under the huge boulder it had been holding and disappeared in a sparkling of deep blue lights.

Noctis received the god's power, the very first one.

Unfortunately for them, their problems had just begun: the whole place was coming down and would soon crush them. However, with the power of the Quicksilver fading from the battlefield, the Magitek engines above them began flying again. One of them opened its front door, revealing the figure of Ardyn, smiling down at them.

"I don't think I have formally introduced myself" the man said "Ardyn Izunia". He bowed mockingly.

"The Empire's Chancellor Izunia?" Ignis asked in surprise.

Ardyn nodded with a smirk before offering to escort them to safety.

"Unless you prefer to be buried alive here" he continued.

"Dying here is not an option, Noct" Ignis said hurriedly.

"I know" the prince simply had to give up.

They didn't have a choice but to get on board.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Gentiana leads the five friends to the next godly power. Iris admits to herself she is attracted to Prompto *O*** **Ignis comes up with a plan to get the Regalia back.**


	17. Of Gods And Men

**Finally back home! I'm so happy to finally be able to play my videogames again! *-* But first, new chapter! :D  
**

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Iris had expected Ardyn to take them to some sort of top-secret Empire base, but he didn't. Instead, he dropped them at the Wiz Chocobo Post without asking anything in return. He simply smiled and bowed before leaving, though Iris didn't like at all the way he had been eying her during the flight, as if he knew her little secret.

However, they had a new problem now: the Regalia was gone. The Empire had taken it, and so they sat at a table and waited for Cindy to call back after gathering come clues.

Their chattering was interrupted by the arrival of Noctis's dog, Umbra, carrying a message from Luna. The two always communicated that way, so to avoid being tracked down by the Empire.

Luna had also sent them her Messenger, Gentiana, to lead them to the next godly power Noctis could obtain to fight the Empire.

And so, they all rented a Chocobo –Prompto particularly excited at the idea of riding one again- and set off toward the path shown by Gentiana.

The traveled all over the plains, one rune stone leading to another until they found themselves at the entrance of a dark cave. It was pouring down and thundering, the power of the Fulgurian calling for Noctis, and Iris decided to step inside the cave first as Prompto reluctantly joined the rest of the party: he simply hated dark and narrow places crawling with Daemons.

They carefully made their way through it, patiently listening to Prompto rambling about random things to keep himself distracted, and Iris thought they were doing pretty well and unscathed until she heard the gunslinger screaming behind her. They all summoned their weapons but the blonde was nowhere to be seen.

"Prompto!" they shouted in unison, looking everywhere for the poor photographer.

"Let's keep going" Ignis suggested "He must be somewhere along the way!"

They proceeded more quickly now, eager to save Prompto from whatever thing had taken him.

They needn't search long for the photographer could be seen running toward them from afar.

"She's here! She's here, guys!" he panicked.

"Calm down, Prom! Who're you talking about?" Noctis tried to get his friend to tell them more, but the blonde shook his head and pointed a finger in the direction where he was coming from.

They followed the path he had indicated, Iris sensing Prompto's distress growing with every step they took. She didn't know how or why she did it, but she suddenly found herself taking his hand in hers and smiled warmly at the very astonished photographer. He pulled away a few moments after, probably not to arise any suspicions with his other friends, but made sure to give her hand a gentle squeeze to show his appreciation.

When they arrived at a wide opening, a Daemon materialized before their eyes, Prompto shouting "See! I told you!"

It was one of the most terrifying things Iris had ever seen: the monster looked like a giant snake with a human head, the head of what once was a woman. Her eyes were veiled and vacant, her horrible grin revealing spiky teeth.

"My baby…" the monster hissed "Do you know where he is?"

"Eh?!" Prompto exclaimed in confusion.

"I know where he is!" Noctis shouted, earning himself the strangest of looks from the others. This proved to be a terrible mistake, however, when the Daemon hissed louder "So you took him!"

The snake attacked instantly with swift moves. Iris made sure she kept her distance, watching the battle from afar, her fingers curling around the stone in case she needed to use it quickly.

The snake began circling around Gladio until its tail engulfed him completely, pulling him into a deadly embrace. The muscular man could barely breathe now, his eyes screaming for help. Ignis, Prompto and Noctis tried their best to set him free, doubling their efforts. But Iris knew what to do: focusing as hard as she could, she called forth the power of the stone once more. The snake froze instantly, but not the five friends. It was as if the stone knew exactly who the target was, and who was to be left untouched by its almighty power.

Gladio broke free from the Daemon's grip with Ignis's help and doubled over to catch his breath.

"I owe you one, lil' sis" he said gratefully.

"Let's finish this thing off!" Prompto encouraged, very eager to take the monster down while it was frozen in time and space.

The spell broke with Noctis striking the last hit, ending the Daemon's misery.

"Bring back…my baby" the monster breathed before disappearing into darkness.

"What was she talking about?" Ignis asked.

"Somethin' about her baby" Gladio replied.

"If it's anything like her, I ain't going near it" Prompto felt a shiver run down his spine.

When they turned the next corner, they were greeted with the sight of the last rune stone. Upon touching it, Noctis finally received the well-deserved power of the Storm god.

It didn't take long until Noctis' phone started buzzing. It was Cindy, who had located the Regalia at an Imperial base named Aracheole Stronghold.

Noctis was eager to hop on his Chocobo and get his car back, but Ignis suggested their rested at a camp site close to the base first, in order to plan a strategy. After all, five could not take down an entire base crawling with fully armed soldiers.

"Even with Iris's stone, we would be in disadvantage, putting her into unwanted danger. The power of the Quicksilver only affects a limited area, which is ok when it comes to relatively small spaces, but not inside an Imperial base" Ignis had stated solemnly, and Gladio nodded approvingly at his friend's wisdom.

"What do we do then?" Prompto asked.

"We'll sneak in, create a diversion and run away with the Regalia" Ignis answered in his usual cool demeanor.

After eating their salmon and rice, the five companions decided they should rest until night, when they would strike. Iris could tell she was not used at all at running around all day and night, fighting monsters and barely stopping to catch her breath. No wonder her friends were so slim!

She slipped under her warm covers but, despite the fatigue she felt, she couldn't sleep. Her mind raced to the task lying ahead but, more importantly, to the memory of her hand deliberately grabbing Prompto's. When she noticed how shaken he was, she had wanted to comfort him, made clear he was not alone and they were all there to protect each other. But she couldn't deny how her heart had started thumping harder at the very touch with his warm skin.

She turned to face him, the little blond Chocobo, as they all called him when they wanted to tease him, but she thought the nickname was quite cute and suited his personality perfectly. She chuckled softly at the thought of a baby Chocobo with Prompto's face and his funny, unruly hair…

The boy was adorable, she admitted. From the way he always smiled warmly to anyone who would spend some minutes of their lives to look at the pictures he had taken, to the awkward way he would flirt with girls, to his joyful personality. It was impossible not to care for the young man, and she wondered how she had never really bothered to hang around with him more often back in Insomnia. She had been too busy buzzing around Noctis, giving all she had to him to even notice the efforts the blonde was putting into starting a conversation with her that didn't simply imply asking how they were doing. She recalled Noctis's words during her very first day at Insomnia High School.

"I think Prom's got a crush on you!" he had said with a large grin "He's always asking about you".

"Oh?" Iris had blushed, but wasn't really interested in that because she wasn't interested in Prompto Argentum. All she wanted was Noctis, and him only. Nothing else mattered.

And now, years later, here she was, lying beside the boy that had once had a crush on her, however small that was, and she thought of how it was too late now. He had moved on, his hopes set on Cindy.

She sighed heavily. She simply needed to admit that, between their little adventure at the Wiz Chocobo Post and the hours they spent together at Lestallum, she had somehow developed a crush on the blue-eyed photographer. He had managed to carve a place into her heart with his outgoing and happy demeanor. It was foolish to keep denying it. However, she decided she had had enough of falling for guys that were not cut for her, or that would not return her feelings. It was yet not too late to refrain herself from falling even further: all she needed to do was to keep her distance from him.

But how could she do that when the boy breathing softly beside her attracted her like the ocean to the full moon?

They were crouching behind a large container, safely hidden in the dark and watching the guards patrolling the area, studying their movements and proceeding cautiously on to the next area when appropriate.  
However, their efforts were made in vain as Prompto accidentally brushed against a card reader with his elbow. A robotic voice broke through the silence of the night, and could be heard loud and clear from miles away. "Access denied".

The MTs tilted their heads towards their location, Prompto whispering a "Sorry!" before the unmistakable sounds of rushing feet could be heard marching on the ground.

"Nice work, Prompto" Gladio said with a hint of irritation in his voice, though Iris knew he had had enough of sneaking around. He was more of the fighter-type.

"I said sorry, c'mon!" the gunslinger repeated more vehemently, aiming at the approaching enemies.

They were obviously outnumbered. The guards seemed to be endless, and coming from every available door. More than once Iris had to dodge attacks being thrown at her, sometimes from her own friends too. The scarce lighting wasn't helping either.

"Ouch! What's the big idea?" Iris could hear Prompto's complaining voice.

"S-sorry, didn't mean to do that!" Noctis replied apologetically.

"Iris! A little help?" Gladio turned to his sister.

She immediately did as she was asked, the stone doing the rest.

But the more they eliminated the frozen enemies floating mid-air, the more came on the rescue.

"Noctis, let's focus on that generator over there! Destroying it might weaken the MTs!" Ignis ordered.  
Iris could indeed see a large generator projecting a strange-looking red light over the base.

They quickly approached it while the enemies called forth heavier machinery to bring them down.

"Of all the places..." Prompto shouted in frustration "…are we _really_ gonna die inside an Imperial base?"

"No one's gonna die tonight, Prom!" Noctis retorted firmly, and then called forth his own deadliest weapon: the power of the gods.

The Fulgurian appeared in the starred sky, hovering over their heads in all his glory. It happened in an instant, the sacred power wiping away all their opponents in one blow, and the base fell silent.

"This is…the power of the Six" Noctis said in awe.

"Dude…that…was… hardcore!" Prompto agreed, still shocked at what he had just witnessed.

"Let's get the Regalia and split" Gladio said.

They approached the car at the first lights of dawn, when they heard someone speak behind them.

A white-haired young man, with a long white coat and a dangerous-looking katana, was stepping slowly but confidently toward them. He kept his eyes filled with hatred on Noctis.

Ravus Nox Fleuret, Luna's brother and the Empire's high commander, didn't seem too willing to aid the prince in his quest. He was pointing his katana to his throat, but Gladio intervened in his defense, getting knocked out instantly.

Ravus venomously told Noctis how unworthy he considered the prince to be of Luna's sacrifice, for he didn't find him suitable as King.

Despite Gladio's repeated attempts to fight back, Ravus just seemed to skilled for them all. His menace was put to an end Ardyn who, for some reason, had intervened and decided to let them go unscathed.

They all climbed in the car, eager to put as much distance between them and the two dangerous men they were leaving behind.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: as the party returns to Lestallum, they learn some more bad news. Prompto comforts Iris. Iris becomes more and more aware of her feelings for Prompto, but why is he avoiding her now?**


	18. Tease Me Not

**Yay, longer chapter! Well, I merely merged two separate chapters into one, because they are kinda connected and it felt too forced to separate them :)**

* * *

They drove back to Lestallum to stock on supplies before heading to Caem, where Cid would assist them with repairing an old boat which would take them to Altissia. Ignis had explained to Iris that all boats from Galdin Quay had been denied sailing.

However, they weren't prepared to face what was awaiting them.

The whole city looked mournful, many buildings showed signs of a terrible battle, and despite the numerous people walking the streets, everything was uncharacteristically silent for such a lively place.

"What happened here?" Prompto asked in shock.

They all rushed to Jared's place to check up on them, but no one was inside. The house had obviously been raided by someone, pieces of furniture scattered everywhere.

They shouted the old man's name as well as Talcott's but never received an answer.

"Are you lookin' for ol' Jared?"

Ferguson was standing outside the crushed door, an expression of deep sadness in his black eyes.

"What happened here?" Prompto asked again, and Iris's former employer sighed.

"The Empire attacked us. They got word that the prince was hiding here somewhere… I don't know how they knew Jared has helped you lot, but I guess the Imperials were quite familiar with the poor man by now…" Ferguson told the five, horrified people in the room.

"They marched straight in, without bothering to search any other place, which was good for the rest of us. Otherwise, this city would be nothing but a bunch of rocks by now. They took the old man by surprise. Poor devil couldn't even put up a fight, what with his age and the element of surprise they had".

Ferguson stopped to wipe one falling tear away from his eye.

"No…" Iris whispered, her eyes flowing with tears. All she could think about that moment was the kindness of the old man, from the moment he had risked his life by escorting her to Lestallum, to offering her a room in his house, and treating and loving her like a daughter. She simply couldn't believe he was gone. How many more people did she need to lose before this all ended?

Everyone remained silent, all grieving but understanding that Iris's sorrow was much worse than theirs having basically lived with the man and his grandson for so long.

"By the way" Ignis said, looking around "What happened to little Talcott?"

"Don't tell me…" Iris started, but Ferguson shook his head with a reassuring smile.

"He's fine. As fine as a little boy can be after what happened to his grandpa. Luckily he was not home when the Empire arrived. He was out to play with some other kids".

"What's gonna happen to him now?" Noctis asked, a hint of worry in his voice. The prince had apparently taken a liking in the boy.

"The hunters are heading to Caem to build a new base there, since there isn't a proper one yet. The kid insisted on joining them. Said he wants to become a hunter too, so he can avenge his old man when he grows up" Ferguson said sadly.

No one spoke anymore, and Ferguson simply bowed his head and left, understanding that they needed some time alone to process the new information.

"Iris…?" Prompto walked to her side and approached her carefully, as if afraid she would snap at him at any time.

She looked up to the gunslinger's sad expression, so unfamiliar on his usually happy face, and tried her best to smile.

"We need to go there" Noctis stated firmly "To Caem. Put an end to this".

"I agree" Ignis nodded "But it's getting late now. We're leaving tomorrow at dawn. We can stay at the hotel tonight. It's going to be a long trip to Caem".

They all left in silence and headed to the hotel. Iris could feel Prompto's eyes on the back of her neck, watching her warily.

Iris got a room for herself, being the only woman in the group. She suspected the boys didn't mind sharing a tent all together, but definitely not the privacy of a single bed with her. She didn't mind either for she needed some time on her own.

In the past few months, her heart had broken over and over again and she was beginning to lose it. It was becoming more and more difficult to keep the façade with the others, especially now that they were all part of the same team.

Someone knocked on her door, but she didn't bother to answer.

"Iris?"

The girl immediately recognized Prompto's voice, his usually cheerful tone completely gone.

"It's open, Prompto".

The gunslinger stepped into her room and stopped to stare at the fragile girl sitting on the bed, a heartbreaking expression on her sweet face.

Prompto looked at her sympathetically and cautiously approached her.

"Can I sit next to you?" he asked softly, and she nodded. She felt the weight of the bed shift slightly as the boy sat down beside her.

"It's probably a stupid question but… how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Definitely a stupid question, Prompto" Iris replied coolly. She immediately regretted it when she saw the flash of hurt crossing his face, but he forced a sad smile.

"Sorry" he muttered "I'm not very good at this".

"So why did you even bother to come see me in the first place?" she retorted bitterly. She didn't mean to be rude to him, she didn't mean to sound so cruel. But she was losing her grip, anger boiling inside her. All the people she had lost, all the hopes and dreams she had left behind, all the things she had had to give up on crossed through her mind, and she balled her hands into fists. Tears were now falling down her cheeks on their own accord, and she couldn't control them anymore. She sobbed softly, bowing her head and let the tears flow.

Prompto began to panic, for he had never seen a woman in such distress before and had no idea what to do to comfort her.

Counting solely on his instincts, he tentatively lifted his arms to pull her into an embrace, and she let him rocket her gently against his chest once he had gained enough confidence.

"I know" he whispered softly "I know. But we're here for you. _I'm_ here for you. It's going to be fine".

She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent which sent her heart racing. She placed one fist against his chest, while resting the other on the bed. He started stroking her hair, unaware of the effect he was having on her, unaware of the deafening sound of her hammering heart. He kept rocketing her and whispering into her ear until her tears had dried up and she had calmed down.

"Better?" he asked softly, giving her the warmest smile she had ever seen on his face. She nodded, temporarily unable to speak.

They briefly locked eyes for a moment, in which Iris saw something flash behind his bright blue ones. She was not sure what it was, such was the speed of the whirlwind of emotions he must be feeling. He blinked a few times as if to clear his head and stood up, positioning himself in front of her. Then, he bowed down and pressed his lips on her forehead. A soft, gentle kiss. And yet, Iris could sense something more behind his sudden display of affection: hurt? Sorrow? Guilt?

She couldn't tell, but it was there in plain sight.

He stroked her cheek one last time before leaving her room without another word, the warmth of his lips still lingering on her skin.

* * *

Prompto was avoiding her, and this made her inwardly chuckle bitterly. She had promised herself that _she_ should be the one avoiding the photographer after admitting her crush on him to herself, and yet here she was, being totally ignored by him.

She watched outside the car window but without really focusing on the scenery. Why was he avoiding her? The evening before he had been comforting her, even _kissed_ her –though not in the way she had originally hoped- and still he had shown more affection that he had ever done before. She knew, by now, he really cared about her, but his feelings were obviously not as strong as hers.

But why was he avoiding her?

 _"And then they say women are complicated"_ she thought flatly.

Her eyes automatically fell on Noctis, for once sitting in the middle to give her a break from her large brother. She would be lying if she said she didn't have feelings for him anymore, but not as strong as before. He used to occupy every single thought, before sharing them with a certain blonde and, now, he was being pushed more and more to the back of her mind as her feelings for Prompto grew stronger.

The rational part of her kept telling her to give up on both before she ended up _seriously_ hurt. It would still hurt to conceal and forget the feelings she had for the two young men sitting with her in the very same car, but it would still be better than picking up the shattered pieces of her already bleeding heart.

She doubted she would survive _that_.

She observed as the blond party member grabbed his camera and started taking shots of the scenery every time Ignis slowed down to turn left or right, choosing the appropriate filter and downloading the best pictures onto his phone.

Little did she know that, for the very first time in his life, Prompto was snapping pictures for the sole purpose of keeping his mind distracted, and not for the joy of it.

He had been mulling all night over what he had done the previous evening.

He had stubbornly ignored what his heart had been desperately trying to tell him for the past months, ignoring the feelings building up in his whole body every time he was around Iris. He had always liked her sweet and gentle personality, and would even admit having developed the faintest crush on her some years before, but his feelings had been growing stronger and stronger ever since their encounter with the Daemon. He remembered the way she had taken care of him, the time they had spent together in Lestallum, the way she made him feel even when he was having a terrible day.

And after last night, he got the confirmation that she had feelings for him too. She had started acting differently towards him, focusing much less on Noctis and seeking his presence and his touch instead. He might not have much experience with girls, but he knew when one was interested. He was a photographer and, therefore, observed. He observed the way his parents looked at each other, the way young couples in Insomnia seemed in desperate need of the other's touch, the way girls looked at Noct back in school.

But it was definitely the first time that a girl looked at _him_ in that same way.

He didn't think he was ugly, quite the contrary actually. He had always been happy with his looks, especially after achieving his objective of becoming a fit young man, and a Crownsguard.

Truth be told, many girls had eyed him, trying to get his attention by swinging their hips seductively, and sometimes he would return the gaze but he never really mustered the courage to actually approach one. He was way too shy and insecure for that and, though appreciating their curves, he never really liked those types of girls, the ones that relied solely and exclusively on their apparel. He needed them to have other qualities too, like courage, kindness, intelligence… just like Iris.

He almost burst into laughter: she had made him become _picky_ when it came to girls!

Of course, he liked Cindy but that was basically it. He simply liked her in a pure sexual way. Nothing really serious with her, despite letting his friends believe otherwise. He would always joke that women like Cindy would set his 20-year-old hormones on fire, but not his heart.

However, his dilemma remained. Despite the feelings he obviously had developed for Gladio's sister, he knew he couldn't have her. He could, of course, if he really wanted to, but he couldn't do this to her. It was bad enough to lie to his best friends. He would not break Iris's kind and loving heart and, for that, he needed to sacrifice his feelings. He would get over it, anyway. He always did.

She deserved better than him. She deserved a _Lucian_ to win her heart and make her forever happy. He, Prompto, would never be able to do that for they would surely end up with a broken heart.

She, for discovering what he really was, and he for losing her forever.

He decided he would try avoiding any more contact with her. He couldn't afford to slip again like he had done the other day. He had let their relationship go too far already, with Iris developing a crush on him. She would suffer but he thought it would be better than tearing her precious heart apart.

And so, Prompto Argentum snapped yet another picture to try and forget the sorrowful expression on the face of the girl he cared about most in the world.

* * *

Of course Cindy was there. She had been waiting for them in Caem, where she led them to a very old house in the woods. Talcott was there with Cid, and welcomed them all with a huge smile.

Iris was happy to be reunited with the small boy again. She couldn't really say the same about Cindy, who confidently told them the boat wouldn't work unless they procured old Cid a mythril stone.

The five friends looked at each other with raised eyebrows: mythril was extremely rare to find, which meant they were stuck.

"I read in my grandpa's notebook that you can find a mythril in a cave not too far from Caem!" Talcott intervened when he saw their expressions "You should check it out".

They were discussing when to depart when Gladio approached Noctis and told him he wouldn't be joining. Iris listened to her brother explain he would be away for a while to take care of something, and that he would return within days.

"Do your thing" Noctis answered "Not like we could stop you anyway".

Gladio smirked at this and gave the prince a friendly poke on his arm, before bidding the rest goodbye and left.

Iris was just trying to understand what her brother was up to when she was abruptly brought back to reality by a scene which made her stomach twitch with jealousy: Prompto was standing inches from Cindy, one arm placed around her thin waste and the other holding the camera to snap a selfie of themselves. Iris was pretty sure she was fuming, so she decided to stomp away and entered the dusty house. It was barely big enough for all of them, and definitely needed some cleaning. But Talcott and the others had just moved in, so she knew the place would look much better once they were done.

She found Talcott playing with a model of a Cactuar on the kitchen table. The boy smiled at her and stood up.

"Do you want me to show you to your room?" he asked kindly. Iris smiled back and nodded, before following the boy upstairs to a tiny bedroom. There was only space for a single bed, a small wardrobe and a TV hung on the wall. A filthy window was barely illuminating the room.

"It's not much, I am afraid" the boy said sadly "But I promise I will help the hunters clean it up!"

Iris ruffled his hair with a motherly smile and, when the boy had returned downstairs, she landed on the bed and sighed heavily.

From outside the window, she could still hear Cindy and Prompto laughing…

Once again, she was running through a dark cave, trying to escape from the fierce Daemon chasing her. She was panting, her stamina failing her but she forced her legs to keep going. She hit the wall in front of her, realizing she had reached a dead end. She was trembling when she turned around to meet the gaze of death, but instead she found a pair of deep, blue eyes staring back at her.

"Noct?"

The dark-haired boy was barely visible and almost transparent. She wasn't surprised when another figure stepped out of the darkness, his form almost fully material in contrast with that of the prince…

Someone was knocking on the door. Iris slowly and lazily opened her eyes, her brain quickly registering her surroundings: she had fallen asleep listening to Prompto's jolly laughter. At the moment, she could tell it was still dark, though she couldn't be sure given the state of the window.

She stood up and sluggishly went to the door. In the narrow hallway stood Ignis. She could faintly smell food coming from downstairs.

"It's almost time" the spectacled man said kindly "I made some breakfast. You should eat before we go. It's going to be a long day".

He turned around and left to give her time to get ready. She ran to the bathroom across the hallway and opened the door without thinking.

She stopped abruptly when she found herself face to face with Prompto in the act of putting his shirt on. Startled by the sudden interruption, the boy stood shirtless to look at the intruder.

Iris felt like her face was on fire and apologized profusely. Her embarrassment made the gunslinger smile, and she noticed how there was no trace of a blush on his face. He looked perfectly comfortable teasing her with his bare, strong chest while his shirt hung from his right arm, as if defying her to order him to put it on.

"It's alright" he finally said, a smirk still lingering on his handsome face "I was done anyway. I should _really_ remember to lock the door next time. Who knows who can burst in while I'm takin' a shower".

And, inwardly chuckling at the girl's shocked expression, he walked past her and went downstairs.

Prompto wasn't sure why he had acted that way. He would normally be quite embarrassed if anyone, especially a girl, walked in the bathroom while he was inside but, somehow, he didn't mind that much if it was Iris. He would probably have been if she had walked in when he wasn't done yet, of course, but he couldn't deny he had enjoyed watching her reaction. Brushing a lock of wet hair from his face, he tried to picture once again her expression: from her eyes automatically trailing down to his bare chest to her shocked expression when he had told her she could have risked seeing more than she had.

It was almost intoxicating to have such an effect on another human being. He had never experienced a girl being so dangerously attracted to him, and he liked the way this made him feel. Despite his looks, he had always been Noctis's shadow, his side-kick only and Iris had been no exception. Until everything changed that night at the Wiz Chocobo Post.

However, the rational part of his brain encouraged him to be more careful, and stop teasing the poor girl. He had already made his choice to keep his distance to safeguard her feelings, and him acting like that wouldn't help at all. Besides, he wasn't sure he wanted to be confronted by Gladio should he find out he had broken his precious sister's heart.

As usual, he therefore pushed his thoughts and feelings about Iris aside and focused instead of Ignis's pancakes.

"Noct still not up?" he asked as soon as he had entered the small kitchen.

"Lower your voice, will you Prompto? It's 5AM and the others are still sleeping" Ignis replied without turning to face him. He was apparently too busy flipping more pancakes.

"Sorry" Prompto almost whispered "Forgot about it".

"As for your question" the spectacled man continued as he pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose "You should know better. It's impossible for Noct to wake up before 6".

Prompto chuckled lightly, and then silence fell upon them, save for the sound of water running coming from the bathroom upstairs. It was now Prompto's turn to slightly blush at the thought of Iris locked inside the shower…

"…Prompto?"

"Wh-what?"

The gunslinger blinked several times before realizing Ignis was facing him, a plate with pancakes placed in front of him.

"I asked if you would like syrup or jam" Ignis inquired, a hint of annoyance in his light-blue eyes.

"Ehm, syrup please" the blonde answered, wishing his skin wasn't that fair.

"Why have you become so red?" Ignis inquired "You're not feeling well?"

"Uh? N-no no, I'm fine! Perfectly fine. It's just… quite hot in here" Prompto answered a bit too quickly, rubbing the back of his head as he usually did when he was nervous.

Ignis simply raised his eyebrows and went back to flipping pancakes. Prompto didn't like the knowing smirk that had appeared on the cook's face one bit.

After a few moments of silence, the door upstairs opened, and the two man could hear the sounds of light footsteps on the wooden floor. Iris appeared a few seconds after, still trying to fix her damp hair.

"Good morning!" she said, making sure to ignore Prompto. The boy simply smirked at her.

"Slept well?" Ignis asked, serving a new plate with pancakes.

"Can't say I haven't" she answered "Wow, thank you, Iggy!"

They all ate in silence, Ignis's eyes switching from Prompto to Iris.

When they were finished, Ignis began cleaning up.

"Why don't you two go out for a walk? It's still some time before Noct will delight us with his presence" the spectacled friend suggested.

Prompto and Iris exchanged a look, the girl quickly looking away when her eyes met his.

"Yeah, let's" the photographer suggested with a sly grin. Iris had no other choice but follow him, as it would have sounded impolite to refuse the offer.

She walked behind the blond gunslinger, making sure she kept a certain distance. She could smell his fresh scent lingering in the air around her, and her body suddenly ordered her to close the distance between them, but she forced herself to ignore it.

She watched as Prompto took some pictures of colorful birds, chirping at them from the tall trees, while the sun rose in the sky, bathing them with its warm rays.

She felt the familiar feeling of being framed. Prompto was indeed aiming his camera at her, while kneeling on the damp soil by the backyard. He took a picture before she could open her mouth to protest, and smiled proudly to himself while checking the result.

"You should be more confident about yourself, Iris. I think you look rather good in this one" he said with a genuine smile.

He stepped closer until he was standing beside her, leaning in to show her the picture he had taken of her. He was so close now that the only thing she was breathing was his scent, his unruly, blond hair tingling her cheek. She could see every single freckle on his face, and took in the cheerful expression he always seemed to be wearing. She suddenly realized how much she wanted to be noticed by him, to be liked by him in more than a friendly way. She wanted him to look at her the same way he looked at Cindy, but she knew she would never be that kind of girl. She could feel a painful, burning sensation deep within her stomach, the very same one that used to plague her since she had met Noctis. With the exception that now it was not caused by the dark-haired prince, but by his blond, cheerful best friend!

"I think I did a pretty good job!" Iris could hear his voice ringing in her head, still full with her thoughts about him.

"Y-yeah, as always!" she agreed distractedly, trying to pretend she hadn't been fantasizing.

"Hey, you two over there!"

They both averted their eyes from Prompto's camera and looked in the direction where Ignis's voice had come from. Noctis was standing beside the spectacled cook, desperately trying to keep his eyes open while lazily biting on his pancake.

It was time to retrieve the mythril stone.

* * *

 **Hehe, Prompto can be a bit of a jerk, too :D  
Next Chapter: Noctis, Ignis, Prompto and Iris embark on a quest with Aranea Highwind to obtain a mythril ore. Prompto receives a well-deserved hug ^O^ The party sets sail to Altissia and Iris decided to join Prompto to visit the romantic city.**


	19. On New Soil

Ignis parked the Regalia just by a large swamp, where Iris could recognize the outline of some ruins.

The four friends walked through the swamp, Prompto the only one speaking to complain about the amount of bugs buzzing around.

Halfway to the ruins, they were met by none other than Chancellor Ardyn Izunia himself, his usual sly smirk on his face.

As he had done other times before, the mysterious man working for the Empire offered to help them by letting them in. Iris followed the others, wondering why that man, who was supposed to be their archenemy, was so willing to help them.

She didn't like him one bit, and she almost yelled at Prompto when she saw the blond photographer speed up to walk side by side with Ardyn. The guy trusted others way too easily, and Iris bitterly thought that habit might get him in serious troubles someday.

They arrived at the entrance to the ruins, blocked by some Imperial guards and a beautiful woman with silver hair. To her surprise, Noctis and the others seemed to know her.

She introduced herself as High Commodore Aranea Highwind, and announced she would be the one escorting them through the dungeon for their "special training". Iris supposed Ardyn had come up with some kind of story to convince the rest of the soldiers the four friends were not fugitives from Insomnia that they had been so desperate to track down and kill.

"If you're looking to get inside, you'll have to wait" she said suddenly when Ignis began walking toward the entrance door. The spectacled man turned around to look at her with a raised eyebrow. Aranea simply smirked.

"There's a way in. I can sniff it!" Prompto intervened, while turning his head left and right to locate the entrance.

"The Empire sniffed it out ages ago. Wait 'til nightfall, shortcake" the Commodore retorted.

Iris almost laughed when she saw Prompto frown and mutter "shortcake?"

It was still relatively early, so they all sat on some large boulders, either discussing their chances to find the legendary mythril, or playing King's Knights.

Iris didn't interact much: she simply observed while Noctis and Prompto played on their phones and Ignis and Aranea discussed a plan, before the couples swapped so that Noctis and Ignis were left talking, and Prompto grabbed his camera to snap his first selfie with Aranea.

 _"For the love of the Six, that guy's got trust issues!"_ Iris thought angrily.

Time went by slowly, but finally Iris could see the sun setting over the horizon. Aranea stood up first, leading them to the tall stone door which was indeed opening as darkness fell over them.

They all stepped in, descending the many staircases leading deep down the dungeon.

"Man, how far does this go?" Prompto complained at the sight of one more flight of stairs "The people that lived here must have been fit".

"Yup, take example" Noctis mocked him.

They made their way through the dark dungeon, their path illuminated only by the flashlights they were carrying.

"Hey, look up!" Prompto suddenly shouted, startling everyone. The others did as the gunslinger had told them to, and were marveled at the sight of…

"Water! Wait, does this mean…. we're underwater?" the blond photographer continued in disbelief.

"The hell is this place?" Noctis was just as surprised and fascinated as the others.

"Whoa! There's even fish! Gladio is seriously missing out" Prompto exclaimed cheerfully.

Iris missed the rest of their conversation as she was too compelled staring at Prompto: the waves of water flowing above them were mirroring their soothing movement on his face and in his eyes, which now looked brighter than ever as they were projecting the color of the waves.

"Onward!" Ignis' voice brought her back to reality, and the party kept moving forward, eventually fighting their way through Daemons. Iris could only watch as the four of them fought, impressed at Aranea's unbelievable style. Had she not been the Imperial Commodore, Iris would have loved having her as a permanent member in their group, as she seemed to work perfectly with the rest of them and even jumped in front of Noctis, Ignis or Prompto multiple times to intercept an attack and effectively saving them.

Aranea gave the younger girl a weird look, as if wondering why someone like her, obviously not trained to fight, was on such a dangerous journey with the prince and the Crownsguards, but the woman didn't say anything. Iris's sixth sense was telling her Aranea was not who she seemed to be, and many times the young girl was surprised by the other lady's distaste for the Empire's methods and plans.

At a certain point, Iris could swear she'd heard the Commodore say she was considering quitting the army and going back to being a mercenary.

They eventually arrived at a spacious room at the very bottom of the dungeon, mirroring the water still hovering above their heads.

"Large room… There's sooo gonna be a big nasty here" Prompto said with a knowing expression, before turning to Iris with a smirk "I've played way too many video games to be fooled by this. Lots of space equals big, bad guy".

Indeed, Iris heard the roaring sound of a dragon, flying straight toward them. And it looked angry.

"Told ya" the photographer grinned while summoning his guns and running to the center of the room with the others.

"Iris, take cover!" Ignis ordered from afar.

She could only do as she was told, watching the others fight the majestic creature from the top of the stairs. She observed how Noctis teleported around the room, trying to find a weak spot, Aranea and Ignis fighting close to each other, and Prompto running around, jumping and rolling on the stone floor while shooting at their foe.

She desperately wanted to help her friends but knew that, even though Aranea seemed nice enough, she was not to be trusted for she remained the Imperial High Commodore and, therefore, the young girl could not use the power of the Quicksilver.

"Hey, Blondie!" Noctis shouted.

"Ehm, that's… me, I guess?" Prompto replied frowning confused, but put himself in position and aimed his right gun at the dragon, which had now targeted Aranea. He carefully watched the monster's movements before pulling the trigger, hitting it straight in the back of its head.

"Nice work, Prompto!"

"That was incredible!"

Prompto was so overwhelmed by his excellent shooting that his eyes went wide and he asked incredulous "Did _I_ do that?"

The dragon had fallen to the floor, not dead yet but so stunned that it was impossible for it to put up a fight as its body was now completely exposed to a deadly attack.

The four of them finished it off quickly, and were rewarded with the mythril ore in its full glory.

Iris was so happy she ran toward them all, a huge smile on her face and, without thinking, jumped on Prompto and put her arms around him in a tight embrace.

The gunslinger was so surprised by her sudden gesture that he froze for a few instants, without knowing what to do. He sent a desperate look for help in Noctis's direction, and the prince smirked slyly and nudged him in the side to encourage him to hug her back. He shyly obliged, wrapping his arms around her waist. Iris's heart felt like exploding at the touch, not caring about three more pairs of eyes fixed on them.

When Prompto tenderly let go of her, Aranea was smirking contentedly.

"Heaven knows we need some love in this world".

* * *

When they emerged from the ruins, the sun was up in the sky: they had been in the dungeons all night, and the daylight made the five of them wince in discomfort as it blinded them after hours spent in the dark.

"Listen, Commodore"

"Aranea"

Prompto knew she was working for the Empire, he knew she was to be considered an enemy despite the fact she had been extremely friendly and cooperative. But so was Ardyn, and he was the damn Chancellor! And yet, the gunslinger couldn't help but trust her somehow. She had kind eyes, and seemed to like him back. And so, he thought this was his only chance to ask someone close to the Empire the question he had been willing to find an answer to since he was a small child.

"You said the Empire uses Daemons to make "weapons"?"

"Listen, you've seen Magitek troopers, right?" Aranea replied, somewhat expeditiously.

"MTs" Noctis joined the conversation, interested in the topic. Iris and Ignis were also listening intently.

"They're born from Daemons, in a lab" Aranea explained, her expression turning serious.

"'Born from Daemons'…" Prompto quoted in a whisper. Iris didn't miss how he seemed to be deep in thought now, his expression turning dead serious.

"Darkness is coming. If I were you, I'd watch my princely ass… ugh, kingly ass!" Aranea continued, while walking back to the Imperial soldiers still patrolling the swamps.

"You may have been hired under false pretenses, but your assistance was invaluable all the same" Ignis told her.

It was so strange to hear Ignis compliment someone, particularly the Imperial Commodore, that his friends couldn't help but turn to look at him in disbelief. Ignis chose to ignore them, putting on his impassible mask as usual.

"Hmph. Tell me something I don't know. You can spare me the pleasantries" Aranea commented but, even with her helmet on, Iris could tell she was flattered. Blushing, even?

"Noct, I have just received a message from Cindy" Ignis said when his phone buzzed "She said we are to head to Lestallum first. There is a friend of hers working at the power plant who can help us with the mythril".

"I can take you there with my ship, but no further" Aranea offered, indicating a large, red ship hovering over them.

They all boarded it, together with the Regalia and, a couple of hours later, they were landing in Lestallum, the city silent in the night.

Gladio was waiting for them at the power plant, a new and larger scar on his forehead. However, he refused to explain how he had gotten it. He was busy talking to a woman wearing an ugly suit. Cindy's friend and ore expert.

She gladly offered her help, saying she owed Gladio one, and so the newly-reunited friends were ready to go back to Caem.

However, they decided it was too late and too dark to head straight back to Caem, and so they rented two hotel rooms and collapsed onto their own beds.

* * *

Iris had been half asleep during most part of their car ride back to Caem, where they were welcomed by Talcott as always and, to everyone's surprise, Cor.

The former Kingsglaive looked haunted, as if he desperately needed to get something off his chest, but remained silent during most part of the day.

Cid had immediately offered to work on the boat, now that they had the mythril ore with them.

So each one of the five friends resolved to kill some time by either playing cards (Ignis and Gladio), or napping (Noctis), or taking pictures (Prompto) or twiddling with the Quicksilver (Iris).

It was around lunchtime that they heard Cid's voice call for them. They all walked to the basement where Cid had established a small workshop. The old man was sitting on the couch, Cor standing not too far behind him, and both men were staring at an old picture of King Regis and his best friends on their road trip, all those years ago.

"Something I gotta get off my chest".

Everyone's attention turned to Cor, who suddenly spoke looking straight into Noctis's eyes.

"I'm sorry. Sorry I wasn't there for your father".

It was so heartfelt that no one managed to say anything to comfort the marshal. He had evidently been keeping it inside for too long, trying to deal with the loss of his best friend as well as failing his most vital task.

"Ain't nothin' nobody could've done to stop what happened" Cid suddenly commented "But you, prince Noctis, need to realize just what you mean to the boys –and the girl- by your side. Remember, those ain't your bodyguards. They're your brothers and sister"

Cid's tone turned somewhat bitter, but it was firm and determined to make the message clear for the prince. "Trust in 'em. Always".

Those simple words definitely had a huge impact on Noctis, who turned to his friends and gave them a silent "thank you".

They only had time to eat a sandwich for Ignis had insisted they departed as quickly as possible.

Iris wasn't too hungry anyway: she was way too excited to travel to a whole new continent. She had heard Altissia was incredibly beautiful and different from Lucis.

She climbed on board with the help of her brother, while Cid went ahead and sat in the front to take control of the boat.

The weather was perfect for sailing: the sun was shining bright in the clear sky, and the sea was calm and peaceful. Iris watched as Prompto eagerly took pictures of the wonderful view all around them, apparently as excited as she was to explore a totally new place.

It was a long boat ride to Altissia but enjoyable indeed. They all sat, enjoying the warm breeze and chatting cheerfully about the upcoming wedding. Iris noticed how natural it now felt to talk about Noctis' and Luna's wedding, and how it didn't seem to hurt anymore. Noctis, who had initially been so unwilling to discuss it with the others, could barely hide his excitement to finally meet his soulmate after ten long years.

When Cid finally announced Altissia was just around a tall chain of mountains, they all stood up and rushed to take the first glimpse of the city. They weren't disappointed as the sight awaiting them was breathtaking.

The whole city, which was maybe as large as the crown city, was built on water, surrounded by waterfalls and mountains. Cid let the boat naturally follow the course of water until it stopped at the harbor.

They were so lost in the city's beauty they barely noticed they had arrived at the customs clearance point, and needed to declare the reason of their stay.

Once Noctis was done taking care of that, the five friends were finally free to step into the bustling city.

There were so many flights of stairs, kiosks, shops and people that it was impossible to take it all in. They stared in awe as residents and tourists moved from one place to another on gondolas, ate colorful ice-creams and sat at the tables enjoying a drink or an exotic-looking meal.

"Where do we go?" Prompto asked, obviously tempted to start snapping away but too confused to know where to start.

No one could answer his question, as they got distracted by a radio plying from inside a nearby bar, and which was broadcasting the latest news. They could faintly hear the newscaster's voice announcing Lady Lunafreya soon making a public appearance to deliver a speech.

"Boys" Cid's voice chimed in "…and girl" he added, when Iris gave him an annoyed look "I'ma gonna head back soon. Make sure y'all hit my buddy Weskham's bar, he'll give ya more instructions".

Cid bid them goodbye and good luck, and the five friends started exploring the huge city, marveling at its narrow alleys, the different types of flowers decorating the walls, the architecture… It was so incredibly romantic, particularly when dusk began to fall over them. In the evening, with all the cozy lights on, the city looked even prettier. Iris blushed at the thought of taking a walk around with Prompto alone, but she would never dare to ask him.

Ignis and Noctis were speaking to a gondola worker to rent one, so that they could cross the river and reach the part of the city which was only accessible by water. The man merrily accompanied them and, soon, they found themselves at a small, but cozy open-space with a restaurant and bar service. The man running its business, Weskham, recognized them immediately and greeted them warmly, even offering them one of his finest dishes.

They listened as Noctis asked Weskham about the Empire which, apparently, was now eager to conquer Altissia too despite its independence.

They eventually changed topic to eventually discuss about Luna's fate. The Oracle was hiding somewhere in the city, preparing herself to summon Leviathan.

"I wonder: if the Empire knows the Hydraen will wreak havoc, why would they allow the rite to proceed?" asked Weskham "Oh, my dear Camelia".

They all turned to look in the same direction as Weskham just in time to see a middle-aged woman approach them.

"Good evening, everyone. My name is Camelia Claustra, First Secretary of the Accordo Protectorate" the woman introduced herself, before turning her attention to Noctis "You should know we have Lady Lunafreya in our care, and the Empire demands we surrender her. Yet, I am loath to acquiesce unless we stand to profit. Hence, I've come to discuss terms with the King of Lucis. If you've a mind to talk, come to my estate tomorrow".

With that, the woman turned on her heels and left with her guards, leaving them wondering what that was all about.

"She can be oblique at the best of times, but I assure you her heart is in the right place" Weskham said with a smirk "I suggest you all go to bed now. You must be weary after your journey, and you can think about what to do tomorrow morning".

"Yeah, we'll do that" Noctis agreed.

They all headed back to the other side of the river, discussing about their recent encounter with the First Secretary.

"Do you think Luna is in good hands with her?" Prompto asked worried.

"She looks authoritative indeed, but I have a good feeling about her" Ignis replied "I am quite sure she's not too fond of the Empire herself".

"Who is? They're trying to take over Accordo too!" Gladio intervened "Those bastards!"

"Language, Gladio! You're in the presence of a lady!" Prompto teased him.

"She's my sister"

"So what? She's still a girl"

"Yeah, 'cause girls never curse"

Iris rolled her eyes at the friendly bickering and smiled.

When the gondola finally stopped, Noctis was yawning soundly.

"I could fall asleep right here" he said.

"Better not" Ignis retorted "You'd wake up all dirty and with a backache. Let's head to the hotel".

"But I'm not tired yet!" Prompto protested "I wanna take more pictures of the city at night!"

"Then you do that" said Gladio "Just make sure you don't get lost".

"Can I come too?"

Everyone turned to Iris with a look of surprise on their faces which made her blush.

"I-I'm not tired, either!" she justified herself. In reality, she could sleep immediately, but she desperately wanted to enjoy the sight of the romantic city with Prompto, and that sounded like the perfect opportunity.

"Ehm, of course you can" Prompto said, sounding a bit unsure.

Ignis, Noctis and Gladio all bid them goodnight –Gladio eying Prompto suspiciously, making the younger boy cringe slightly, before leaving- and Prompto and Iris began walking in silence.

Iris could tell that Prompto was not particularly happy at the idea of being left alone with her once again, and the same feeling of being rejected and avoided assailed her. Why was he being so weird around her? Teasing her first, and then keeping his distance? He was changing his mind so fast, it gave her headache.

"If you'd rather be alone, I can go. It's ok" she said with a smile, to point out she wouldn't be offended.

"N-not at all! I enjoy your company!" the blonde said quickly, almost stumbling over his own words.

"Look!" he exclaimed after a few moments of awkward silence "They've got Chocobo-themed ice-creams! We gotta check it out!"

He was already running toward the ice-cream van and consulting the list of available flavors on the menu.

"I'll go for a coffee and chocolate one! Then you get a Chocobo-shaped cookie on top" he said happily "What do you want?"

"Uh? Oh, I-uhm…" Iris stuttered, before quickly reading the menu "Wild berries and lime".

Prompto nodded and placed the order, paying for both of them as it was his custom.

"You shouldn't always be the one paying" she protested when the photographer had promptly refused the money she was trying to hand over to him.

"It's nothin'" he shrugged his shoulders, before grabbing the ice-creams offered by the vendor.

They walked up and down several flights of marble stairs while enjoying their sweets and the warm breeze. Even at night, the city was bustling with people, all sitting at romantic-looking restaurants, bars or simply shopping.

"I suppose it's kinda like Insomnia here, eh?" Prompto said after a long while "Shops open all day and night and stuff".

"Yeah" Iris agreed "I could get used to living here. It's so incredibly romantic!"

"Knew you'd say that!" he chuckled.

"I'm a girl!"

"And I'm a boy. Still, I find this city very romantic too".

Iris blinked a few times. She had always imagined Prompto to be the romantic type, but it was weird to hear him admit it.

"It's getting quite late" Prompto hinted "But it's really appealing to stay up so late here in Altissia. It's better at night than in the morning, wouldn't you agree?"

"Absolutely!" Iris nodded enthusiastically "And there's so much to see! It's like you discover something new behind every corner!"

Prompto had now finished his ice-cream and proceeded to grab his camera, taking pictures of the city's beautiful scenery.

"I'll never get enough of this" he said softly, his eyes fixed on the starred sky "Had the circumstances been different, I'd probably never want to come back home".

Iris knew what he meant, because she felt the same way. It was appealing to explore new places and living an adventure, but the circumstances didn't make it feel quite as fun. And they were all worried about the fate of their friends and families back in Insomnia.

"Are you worried about your parents?" she asked softly.

"Well, of course! I do hope they made it out alive. Though I wonder if I'll ever see them again" he answered a bit sadly "But I am sure they're still alive, hiding somewhere and waiting for us to come and save the day!"

Iris admired Prompto for his optimism: even when all hope seemed to be lost, he still managed to muster a smile on his face and encourage the others. He was the most positive person she had ever met, and couldn't help but smile back at his enthusiasm.

They eventually decided it was best to head to the hotel. It was getting really late, and Ignis didn't like it when they woke up after the alarm clock had gone off.

It wasn't easy to find the way, as the city itself resembled a maze but, with some patience and asking some passersby, they managed to arrive safe and sound at a luxurious-looking hotel, where their rooms had already been paid for.

"Well, thanks for letting me join you on your little quest!" Iris smiled warmly.

"Hey, anytime! And thanks for keeping me company, I had lots of fun" he nodded, rubbing the back of his head. They both stood in front of each other, one hand closed around the handle of their respective doors.

"Right" Prompto said blushing slightly "Good night, Ir! See you tomorrow"

And with that, he quickly disappeared into his hotel room, leaving Iris with a strange sense of emptiness in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

 **Aha! I simply love when, in the game, Noctis calls Prompto "Blondie" and Prompto replies with that uncertain "That's me, I guess?" xD Cracks me up all the time, so I** ** _had_** **to put it somewhere in my story! I do believe the English dubbing for this game is brilliant: hats off to the whole cast ^^**

 **Next Chapter: Iris wants to learn how to defend herself in battle. Prompto agrees to train with her. The trial of Leviathan.**


	20. The Battle Of Altissia

**Now, this is where I _really_ started being satisfied with this story. From now on, it will get a bit darker, just like in the game, and the chapters longer ;)**

* * *

"You know what I really hate about this whole thing?" Iris asked Prompto, both leaning against a wall outside the First Secretary's office.

"Uhm, not knowing what's going on in there?" he replied with another question, pointing at the door behind which Noctis was discussing terms with Camelia.

"Apart from that" Iris said "What I really hate is not being able to help you guys in battle".

Prompto stared at her in surprise and crossed his arms "What're you talkin' about? You've saved our butts more times that I can count". His statement made her smile, but she couldn't help but think that wasn't enough.

"Maybe. But that was the Quicksilver. I can't simply hide every time we're in danger. What if something happens to any of you? I want to be able to assist you".

"Don't be foolish, Iris. We've been doin' just fine, right?" Prompto tried to comfort her with a grin.

"It may not be enough, one day" Iris continued more determinedly, before turning to face Prompto "Teach me".

Iris could see the gunslinger's eyes widen in shock and surprise.

"Me?! Why don't you ask your brother? He's a much better fighter than I am!" he replied agitatedly.

"Gladio?" Iris turned to look at her brother, who had been reading a book in silence, though she could tell he had been listening intently.

The big man sighed heavily and snapped the book close.

"Maybe you're right, Ir" he said "But if you want my honest opinion, you're not really cut for the physical job. You lack the _mass_ ". Gladio eyed her petite form.

Iris raised an eyebrow, an offended expression on her face.

"However" her brother continued "this doesn't mean you can't handle a weapon suited for you".

"What do you mean?" Iris asked, not understanding.

"I mean, you may not be cut to swing a sword or an axe, but a lighter weapon should do".

Iris thought for a moment: light weapons… light weapons.

"Like a gun?" she asked after a moment of silence. She felt Prompto's gaze on her.

"Maybe not" Gladio retorted "We've already got a gunslinger in our party, and don't need more troublemakers".

"Aw c'mon man, really?!" Prompto exclaimed offended, but Gladio chuckled softly.

"Why don't you try with bow and arrow? I remember you were quite good at that as a kid" Gladio suggested.

Iris fell silence again, pondering what her brother had just said. She could indeed recall the countless hours she had spent in the backyard of their house, trying to learn the noble art of archery with the help of her uncle who had been working at the Citadel as a bowman.

She hadn't practiced in a long while, but at least she knew the basics and mentally slapped herself for not thinking about that before.

"That's an excellent idea" she said softly.

"Then grab some gils and go find one" Gladio smiled "We'll meet up outside the hotel as soon as Noctis is done".

"What about Iggy?" Prompto asked.

"He's buying some supplies, maybe you'll bump into him" the muscular man replied, opening his book once more "Do me a favor and go with my sis, will ya Prompto? She has a tendency to get lost." Gladio seemed to think for a moment "Even though you're just as hopeless".

"Two compliments in less than ten minutes, dude. Must be my lucky day" Prompto said sarcastically "Whenever you're ready, Ir".

Iris and Prompto were in a shop browsing the different types of weapon for sale. They had a great variety of swords, greatswords, crossbows, polearms, shields and guns, but not so many bows. Iris suspected very few hunters used it nowadays.

"I like this one" Iris said, picking up a beautifully decorated, long bow. It came equipped with a laser scope for a better aiming, and a rubber hilt. It was black in color, which would suit the Lucian colors, and felt right in her hands "Yeah, I think this is the one".

"That's definitely a cool one!" Prompto exclaimed enthusiastically "Quite expensive though…"

"I've been saving up money" Iris shrugged her shoulders and went to the cashier. She collected some arrows on her way to the cash-out and handed the money over to the vendor.

That was enough to leave her broke, but she could care less: she had finally purchased her first weapon! Not one she had borrowed, but her own, personal one. She couldn't stop taking in every detail that she had missed in the shop, from the carved runes on its surface to the thickness of the line.

"You're in love" Prompto said matter-of-factly, and Iris jumped in shock.

"Wh-what?" she stuttered, blushing furiously.

"With the bow" he continued, pointing at her new weapon.

"Oh... yeah, I guess I am" Iris replied embarrassed. Her heart had started hammering faster at Prompto's words, and she almost wanted to kick herself for letting it show.

"Do you think Noct is done now? It's been a while" Prompto didn't seem to notice Iris's change of behavior, but was intently staring at the darkening sky.

"I do hope so" she replied once she had made sure she could speak again "It's getting late".

"Here you are!"

A third voice joined their conversation, and both Prompto and Iris turned to greet Ignis, walking fast toward them.

"I've been looking for you. Gladio told me you went to buy yourself a weapon, Iris. And I see you found the one for you" the spectacled man said proudly "I just wanted to inform you that Noctis is on his way to the hotel. The meeting is over, and he will be briefing us regarding the actions to be taken".

Ignis pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose "You two may obviously continue with whatever you were doing, but I suggest you head back to our room too. I have a feeling this is going to be important".

"Right" Prompto agreed "We're coming".

The three of them walked all the way back to the hotel and up the stairs, before Ignis knocked on Noctis's door.

"Come in".

The prince and Gladio were sitting on two leather armchairs, waiting for the rest of the party to join.

"So" Noctis began once everyone had found a seat "Seems like Camelia is willing to protect Luna while she performs the rite. However, she expects us to return the favor".

"Understandably" Ignis nodded "What is it?"

"She wants to evacuate the whole city before the Hydraen awakens. She believes the Empire will try to put up a fight in the meantime, causing havoc. I said you guys can take care of that" Noctis explained, staring at his friends almost apologetically, before adding "Hope you don't mind".

"O' course we don't, buddy! That's our job" Prompto said cheerfully.

"True. Remember that, as a King, you will have to take your decisions based on the best profit for you, not on our well-being" Ignis agreed.

"How can you say that? You're my best friends!" Noctis protested, but Gladio shook his head.

"Iggy's right. We may be your friends, but we are first and foremost Crownsguards. It is our duty to serve our King and respect his decision, no matter what".

"It's gonna be fine" Prompto continued with a smile "And Iris's got a weapon too now, so the Empire stands no chance!"

Noctis looked at Iris as if seeking for a confirmation, and she nodded proudly, summoning her shiny bow.

"Wow!" the prince exclaimed in awe "You're gonna give 'em a lesson, arentcha Ir?"

"Just say the word, and I'ma gonna kick their sorry butts" she replied, and everyone laughed.

"It's going to be a long day, tomorrow" Ignis said "How do you want to do this, Noct?"

"Well, I thought you guys could hide somewhere while Luna makes her speech. When she proceeds to perform the rite, we expect the Empire to strike. At that point, make sure all the evacuation points are being used. We must ensure a constant flow of people. Camelia will take care of the boats which will take the citizens away from danger" Noctis presented his plan to the others, who mentally took note of every detail.

"And please, take care all of you. Leviathan may prove a formidable foe, and the presence of the Empire won't be of any help, so stay alert" Noctis concluded, worry evident in his deep blue eyes.

"Don't worry about us, we can take care of ourselves. Make sure you obtain the Hydraen's power and we'll fix the rest" Gladio said confidently.

After discussing their strategy, they decided it was best to go to bed. Iris couldn't deny the fact she was feeling utterly nervous, and she never liked it when she felt that way: it felt as if something would go wrong. But that couldn't be, right? The gods were by their side, and she had the Quicksilver. She convinced herself everything would go as planned: Noctis would receive the Hydraen's blessing, the Empire would be defeated and the prince and the Oracle could finally pronounce their vows.

She pushed her thoughts of worry aside and went for the door.

"Hey, wait up!" Prompto suddenly shouted, grabbing his camera "Let's take a picture all together!"

"Really, Prom? Now?" Gladio snorted, but he was smiling.

The blonde set his camera on auto-mode and ran to position himself in front of it, kneeling on the floor and grinning widely. They all made funny faces, looking happier than ever despite the circumstances.

"Aha! That's totally awesome!" Prompto commented when he saw the picture of the five of them smiling, and giving the camera the victory sign "Let's take another one tomorrow to celebrate our victory!"

"What guarantees you we will?" Noct chuckled at his best friend's optimism.

"Well, 'cause we always do!"

* * *

It was impossible to sleep. Iris shifted position for the umpteenth time without finding relief. She simply lay wide awake and watched as the sun started rising.

The alarm would go off in two hours, and she decided she wouldn't be wasting any more time in bed. She stood up and changed into her Lucian clothes before heading for the door.

She went downstairs, the receptionist smiling warmly at her, and Iris began walking the much less busy streets of Altissia, enjoying its beauty at dawn.

She was trying to remember the way to a subway passage she had seen while wandering around with Prompto, and she was hoping to train a bit with her bow before the rite began.

She was just starting to remember the path to follow when she saw someone familiar sitting by a fountain. Her heart seemed to stop when she realized who that was.

"Prompto?" she asked in disbelief "What're you doing up so early?"

"Uh? Iris!" he said with a smile "Well, y'know, I woke up early and thought I could take advantage of the thing to take some shots of the city at dawn. What about you?"

"Couldn't sleep, to be honest" she shrugged her shoulders "So I thought I could train a little".

"Training session!" Prompto exclaimed enthusiastically "Want me to join?"

"Sure, you can be my dummy" she chuckled when Prompto pouted.

They arrived at the subway passage shortly after and, to Iris's relief, it was completely deserted. She doubted anyone would be coming anytime soon.

Iris summoned her bow and arrows while Prompto drew smileys on the wall, each in a different size and shape.

Iris stood in front of them, focusing as hard as she could and trying to remember what her uncle had taught her. She took hold of an arrow, positioned it and aimed at the largest smiley Prompto had drawn, applying just the right amount of pressure. The arrow landed in the smiley's left eye, and all Iris could hear was Prompto shouting happily.

"Nice one, Ir! You're a real talent!"

"Nah, just sheer luck" she said humbly, but couldn't hide her proud grin.

She kept practicing for several minutes, Prompto patiently watching and commenting at a particularly good shot.

"Let's try with a real fight" she said with a smirk "You against me".

"Wh-what?" Prompto was taken-aback and swallowed hard "I don't wanna hurt you"

"You won't, 'cause I won't let you" she retorted confidently, sounding a lot like her older brother.

"Ha!" Prompto smirked back, playfully rubbing the bridge of his nose "Challenge accepted, then!"

Iris proceeded to replace her iron arrows with plastic ones, and Prompto loaded his guns with soft balls. Both weapons would still hurt, but definitely wouldn't injure or kill.

"You ready?" he asked, his punk-like grin still plastered on his face.

"Always" she smirked back, and they began.

Prompto immediately pointed his gun at her, aiming for her dominant arm but Iris wouldn't let him win so easily. She quickly rolled to the side, preparing her arrow in the process and aiming back at him. Prompto wasn't expecting that move but managed to dodge her arrow just as it flew past him.

Taking advantage of his momentary unbalance, she proceeded to quickly fire another arrow at him and, this time, she successfully hit him on his left leg.

"Ouch!" he screamed in pain "That HURT!"

"My apologies!" Iris said, but couldn't hide her amusement and pride.

"I'll show ya!" Prompto exclaimed, backing away slightly. He lifted his gun and shot multiple rounds of bullets in quick succession. Iris rolled once more to the side, but Prompto kept shooting, following her movements.

One of the soft balls eventually found its way to her shoulder, and the girl fell to the stone floor.

"Oh my… are you ok?" Prompto ran toward her and bent over to check up on her.

The gunslinger's breath was suddenly cut off by an unexpected blow to his stomach. He doubled over, wrapping his arms around himself and kneeling down in pain, trying to catch his breath.

"Never show pity or concern for your opponent" Iris reprehended him "That was foolish of you".

She approached the blonde, offering him her hand and he took it, wincing in pain as he stood up.

"Did that hurt?" she asked, sounding much more worried now that she saw that Prompto wasn't simply overreacting "I've got a few potions with me".

"I-I'm fine" he said, one hand still placed on the sore spot "The heck did you do to me?"

"I hit you with the butt of my bow" she replied simply.

"That's SO unfair!" he complained.

"In war and love, anything is permitted" she smirked "How's it going?"

"It's getting better. Girl, you hit hard" he said "If you're gonna be half as good as you are now, this battle is gonna be a piece of cake".

* * *

Iris wasn't sure what she was feeling. She was grateful for having got the chance to practice a little earlier that morning, but at the same time she couldn't stop thinking that something could go terribly wrong.

She was walking alongside Ignis, Gladio and a much excited Prompto, heading to their hiding spot. It was relatively close to the main square where Lady Lunafreya would make her speech, and where Noctis was currently waiting, so the four of them could monitor the Empire's moves.

The Oracle was standing before hundreds of people, all staring at her in awe. Iris immediately located Noctis, who was unconsciously walking forward to take a better look at her wife-to-be.

Her heart was hammering fast in trepidation as she watched Luna begin her speech.

They simply waited until the Oracle was done and had walked away to start the rite. Ignis was the first to notice.

"Over there!" he exclaimed, pointing at the large warships in the sky, and took his phone to warn Noctis.

Most of the ships were flying towards the harbor, where Luna was already performing the rite to awaken the Hydraen, while a dozen of them landed nearby.

"It begins" Prompto said, summoning his gun.

"Let us commence the evacuation!" Ignis instructed "Prompto, you're coming with me to escort the citizens to the northernmost escape point, Iris and Gladio: you will be escorting the rest to the south".

"Gotcha" Gladio grabbed his sister's wrist and dragger her along, instructing the panicking citizens, who were beginning to understand they were in danger, to the arranged evacuation point.

The MTs were starting to shoot on the crowd, and Iris was doing her best to push the children and people in need of help forward, ensuring no one stayed behind for far too long.

"This way!" she was shouting at the top of her lungs "Keep moving, don't stop!"

She could hear Gladio doing the same, but the Empire was approaching fast.

"Take cover!" she shouted when they could no longer outrun the MTs.

Iris conjured her bow and fought back, finding cover behind a marble column. She could hear Gladio's greatsword being swung around, hitting the enemies hard as they dropped defeated to the ground.

"They're too many!" she heard him say in frustration. But he never stopped fighting.

Iris left her shelter and went to help Gladio, shooting arrows as fast as she could, aiming to kill.

"You're doin' pretty fine, lil' sis" her brother complimented with a smirk "I'm just not sure this'll be enough".

"We need to buy the citizens some time to escape, then we can go and help Noct" she replied, her arm getting stiff.

Luckily for them, the MTs were not very intelligent, and seemed to follow a specific pattern when attacking. Once they had learned what their moves were, it was easy to dodge their attacks and counter at the right moment.

Iris looked around to make sure no citizen had been left behind before rushing to the norther part of the city to check up on Prompto and Ignis.

Her heart was no longer thumping fast because of her fighting skills –she was almost enjoying it, actually- but she was extremely worried that something could happen to Noctis, Ignis or –her stomach twitched uncomfortably- to Prompto.

"The hell is that?" Gladio stopped in his tracks and was now looking up in the sky, where a terrible roar could be heard and an enormous shadow flew over the whole city.

"Leviathan" Iris whispered, her eyes wide with fear.

"We gotta get to Noct, fast!" Gladio shouted, and resumed his running.

"Ignis!" Iris saw the spectacled party member fighting all alone against what seemed like a whole army. He was swiftly dodging the attacks thrown at him, but had no chance to fight back.

"Iggy, where the hell is Prompto?" Gladio yelled, rushing to help his friend. Iris looked around to try and spot the familiar blonde, but couldn't see him anywhere. She felt sick at the thought of him being…

"He went on ahead, to help Noct" Ignis replied, clearly relieved that someone was there to assist him.

"And he left you all alone? I swear, when I put my hands on him…" Gladio rotated his sword and chopped five MTs in a row.

The fight was fierce, for it felt like the enemy soldiers were endless. Iris kept taking cover and counterattack until she heard a terrible scream, one that made the blood freeze in her veins.

"IGGY!"

It was Gladio. Iris couldn't help but turn around and watch Ignis being enveloped by a storm of soldiers. She immediately grabbed her Quicksilver and activated it. The enemy's attack on Ignis stopped instantly, but she knew something was not quite right. Her view was blocked by Gladio, kneeling before Ignis's limp body. Her mind went blank, refusing to accept what she was seeing.

"Iggy…?"

She stepped closer, her heart almost bursting in her chest, and felt properly sick when she saw Ignis's face.

"His eyes…" she stuttered in a state of pure shock "Wh-what did they do to his eyes?"

"He'll be fine" Gladio said, his voice strangely calm "He'll recover".

"I've got a potion" Iris said, handing the ampoule to Gladio with shaking hands. Her brother took it without looking at her and forced it down Ignis's throat. The injured man stirred and winced in pain, one hand automatically lifting to touch his wounds. Iris noticed how he couldn't manage to open his eyes, while blood was streaming profusely from the large wound on his face.

"I… I can't see anything" he said weakly. It hurt so much to see Ignis in such conditions: he was always the composed, calm and cold-blooded member of their team, but now all she could see on his face was fear and uncertainty.

"You'll be fine" Gladio repeated, sighing in relief when his friend spoke "Don't push yourself, now".

"Guys, the Quicksilver won't be holding much longer" Iris warned, watching as the field surrounding the MTs began crumbling. The stone itself had changed color, turning into a dull grey, which Iris had learned to associate to its moment of stutter after each use.

Gladio helped Ignis stand, and supported him all the way to the safest spot they could find.

"I swear to the Six, I will kill Prompto!" Gladio said through gritted teeth.

"Don't blame him" Ignis mumbled "Even if he had been there, this would've happened anyway. We both know it's true".

"But why did he leave you alone?" Gladio asked again, trying to find any possible excuse to blame the gunslinger. Anyone.

"Because I told him to. I told him to go ahead and protect Noct" Ignis said simply, feeling the walls to learn his surroundings.

"Hope they're alright" Iris whispered, glancing over the far-away harbor where she knew Noctis, Luna and Prompto were fighting the Hydraen.

* * *

"Dude, can you reach?" Prompto asked Noctis, while flying closer to the majestic sea monster.

"Yeah" the prince replied, teleporting on top of its head.

"Awesome!" Prompto shouted cheerfully at his friend's success, failing however to notice he was heading straight for the god's tail.

Leviathan swung it violently, hitting his flying harpoon and causing it to go crashing in the water below.

"No, no, NO!" he screamed, bracing for the impact.

And then all he felt was pain. Pain all over his body, while desperately trying to fight the waves enveloping him.

He did his best to ignore his screaming body while swimming back to the surface.

" _You can't die now, Prompto! Just a little push, you're almost there!"_

He inhaled oxygen like never before, feeling light-headed for the lack of it. He kept swimming back to the harbor, too weak to concentrate on anything else. He tried to think of his friends, of Noctis and Luna's wedding after all that had been taken care of, of Iris.

He hoped she was ok. He didn't think he would be so willing to swim back to safety if anything had happened to her…

He kept her smiling image in his head, the only thing that encouraged him to keep going.

He could still hear Noctis fighting the Leviathan above him, and inwardly cheered for that. At least, he was doing fine.

He wished he could do more to help the prince, but knew he was no royal and didn't possess the skills nor the powers to fight a god. This was Noctis's battle, and he needed to fight it on his own. However, he would still sacrifice himself if that meant saving his best friend's life.

Prompto slowly climbed a wall of rocks protruding from one side of the destroyed harbor, placing one arm around his aching waste once he had reached the top. He finally looked up and gasped when he saw Leviathan strike at Noctis, hitting him square in the chest and knocking him over. The prince fell for several feet before landing hard on the stone floor. He wasn't moving.

"NOOOOCT!" Prompto shouted like he had never shouted before, and tried to rush to his friend's side.

"Stop right there, _soldier_!"

Prompto turned around to look at the person who had grabbed his wrist, holding it so tightly he felt it going numb. It was Ardyn, smiling evilly at him.

"What did you just call me?" Prompto asked defiantly.

Ardyn simply chuckled before hitting him in the temple with the butt of his sword, and everything went black.

* * *

 **I just wanted to thank every single one of you who's reading this story, and particularly those who favorited/followed and reviewed :) I received two fantastic reviews from two guests, and I couldn't unfortunately reply to them directly. If you're reading this, THANK YOU! And to the guest who asked me if I'm going to keep this story faithful to the game, the answer is yes... and no. I will leave the events as told in the game until a certain point; then things may change ;) However, I cannot say more because I don't want to spoil too much: so stay tuned and enjoy! :D And yes, I _will_ finish this story, simply because I already finished typing the ending as well as the sequel ^^**

 **P.S. Let's see if anyone can guess where I got the inspiration for Prompto drawing smileys on the wall to practice on them xD It might be difficult, so I'll give you a hint: it's an awesome TV series from the UK.**

 **Next Chapter: after the battle. Discrepancies between Gladio and Noct. On their way to Gralea, Prompto is chased by a furious Noctis, who pushes him off the train they're traveling on. The four friends decide to head to Gralea and rescue Prompto.  
**


	21. The Mighty Downfall

Prompto slowly opened his eyes and instantly wished he could go back to his painless slumber. The first thing he registered was a throbbing headache, followed by a general weakness. Then he heard someone whispering, and another person sobbing. A woman.

He shifted slightly in his bed, his action causing the whispering to stop immediately.

"You're awake" Gladio's familiar voice greeted him. However, it didn't sound cheerful.

"What have I missed?" the blonde asked, trying to sit up but failing miserably.

"A lot" Gladio replied.

"Is everyone ok?" he asked urgently, Iris' face flashing before his eyes. No answer. Prompto's heart kicked hard against his chest.

"Gladio?" he tried again, and heard the large man sigh heavily.

"We're alright. Noctis is still out cold, though. And Ignis… he's got a serious injury, but he should recover soon. As for Lady Lunafreya…"

Gladio's voice broke when he mentioned the Oracle, and Prompto heard once again someone sobbing.

"Iris? Is that you?" he asked softly, trying to fight the blinding light in his hotel room.

"Y-yes" he heard her answer, her voice broken and sad.

"Why are you crying?" He had a bad feeling about this.

"Because…" she tried to compose herself "Lady Lunafreya… she didn't make it, Prom".

It felt as if Leviathan had kicked him once more in the chest, the terrible truth hitting him.

"No, it can't be…" he whispered in shock "She can't be… she's the Oracle, she…"

He didn't know what to say. His mind simply refused to believe it: it had to be a joke, a macabre joke his friends were playing on him.

"And Iggy…" she continued, failing to fight back the tears "He…"

That was enough to put Prompto back on his feet, despite the pain and the weakness.

"What're you doing? Go back to bed!" Gladio protested, trying to push him back under the covers but the gunslinger, despite being much smaller and in a weakened state, managed to break free from Gladio's grip.

He walked toward the door and opened it, heading to Ignis' room. He didn't bother to knock, but simply opened the door and found his friend sitting alone on a leather armchair by the window, his back at him.

"Prompto" he said simply, as if he had known all along the blonde was going to burst into his room.

Prompto swallowed hard and waited for Ignis to face him. When he did, Prompto felt the world fall on him.

"What… the… hell…?" he was so shocked at the sight of Ignis with his eyes closed and a terrible scar behind his glasses.

"A little incident, nothing serious" Ignis said with a bitter smile.

"An _incident_?" Prompto asked in disbelief. Ignis simply shrugged his shoulders "I'll be alright. I'm taking my medications. Noctis, however…"

"What about him?" Prompto asked worried.

"Well, if you know about what happened to me, you must know what the Imperial Chancellor did to Lady Lunafreya".

"It was Ardyn…?" Prompto was so angry his whole body was shaking "That _son of a bitch_!"

"Calling him names won't help us, Prompto. What's done is done. Lady Lunafreya's sacrifice has not been in vain, though. Noctis had received the ring of Lucis as the rightful King".

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Prompto closed his hands into balls and gritted his teeth "He'll pay for that. For all this!"

"He will indeed. But not today" Ignis said calmly "Our priority right now is to stand close to Noct, and assist him at the best of our abilities. Dark times lie ahead, I'm afraid".

* * *

The atmosphere had turned gloomy. None of them was saying a word, the sense of grief accentuated by the sight of Ignis forced to walk with a stick. Noctis distanced himself from everyone and everything, despite Prompto's attempt at distracting him. Gladio kept eying the prince disapprovingly but held his tongue to avoid an argument. Ignis was the only one entitled to complain, but he never did, which hurt even more. He had stoically accepted his fate and never spoke a word about it, nor did he blame any of them for what had happened to him. Prompto refused to leave Ignis' side, making sure the blind man wouldn't stumble upon any obstacles or bump into a wall. And Iris simply mourned in silence.

She bitterly remembered Prompto's words the night before the tragedy " _Let's take another one tomorrow to celebrate our victory_!"

How ironic it felt in that moment to recall how happy they had been mere hours before, taking a picture of them smiling without a care in the world. The last picture they had of Ignis with his vigilant and clever eyes wide open, for once smiling widely at the camera.

Iris fought back the tears that threatened to stream down her face again and kept marching on.

She'd give anything to go back in time, when everything wasn't fine but close enough, when they were happy despite the odds, when their smiles were genuine and full of life. Now it felt as if death accompanied them wherever they went. Something had broken among them, and she couldn't stand the silence, the distance…

It had been weeks now since that tragic day at Altissia, and they were all sitting in the train which would take them back to Insomnia.

Iris was looking outside the window, watching the dull rocky landscape.

Prompto was the only one trying to start a conversation, and Ignis was the only one answering him.

"The hell is wrong with you?" she heard Gladio ask Noctis, who was sitting alone opposite her.

"What?" the prince said defiantly.

"You need to grow up and get over it" her brother continued, raising his voice. Noctis stood up to confront him.

"I am over it. I'm here, aren't I?"

"Maybe when you're not too busy moping, you can look around and give a shit about someone who is worse than you" Gladio grabbed him by the scruff and pointed at Ignis, who lowered his head "How's that ring fit ya? You'd rather carry it around than wear it? She gave her life so you could do your duty, not so you could sit around feeling sorry for yourself".

That was enough for Noctis to finally lose it, and the two began fighting more vehemently.

"Enough, Gladio!" Ignis shouted.

Prompto stood between the two fighting men in an attempt to separate them but only managed to get pushed away by Gladio.

Noctis turned around and left, ignoring the eyes of the other passengers staring at him. Prompto tried to follow him, but Gladio stopped him once more.

"Leave him!"

Iris gritted her teeth, hating their current situation and all the fighting. But what she hated the most was not being able to do anything to fix things: if only she had been faster at using the Quicksilver, Ignis would still have his sight. Or she could have helped Noctis fight the Leviathan, so Lady Lunafreya would be still alive.

Her thoughts of guilt were interrupted by the voice of the newscaster coming from a passenger's phone, announcing that Ravus, Luna's brother, had been sentenced to death for his disastrous campaign to stop the Hydraen.

The train stopped at Cartanica where they all got off to visit the local mines, so that Noctis could obtain one more Royal weapon from the tomb buried underneath. The mines were located just past a flooded, dark cave full of lesser Daemons and other creatures. Prompto never left Ignis' side, shielding him from the incoming attacks as the blind man was the main target. It took much longer than it should have to reach the tomb, for they had to guide Ignis and wait for him to keep up with them, and because Noctis and Gladio just didn't seem to be able to cooperate anymore.

Iris wasn't sure how he managed to never complain: she would've already lost her mind without her sight.

When Noctis finally reached the tomb and obtained the power concealed inside, Ignis finally spoke up.

"I won't suffer this pointless bickering in silence any longer. Let's be frank, my vision hasn't improved and probably won't. Yet, in spite of this, I will remain with you all, until the very end".

"Sorry, but I object" Gladio interrupted him "War is a matter of life and death"

"But…" Prompto intervened "We'll be there!"

"It's not about us looking out for him!" Gladio spoke over the gunslinger, but the blonde continued determinedly "Uh-huh. Well, then he should be free to choose".

"I won't ask you to slow down!" Ignis was almost shouting in frustration now "If I can't keep up, I will bow out". He then turned to Gladio, following the direction where his voice had come from "Gladio, Noct will take his rightful place, but only once he's ready".

Gladio could only sigh heavily, accepting Ignis's wise words. Iris could feel the tension in the air loosen a little, and she smiled at all of them.

* * *

They were sitting in the next train once again, traveling toward the Imperial capital, Gralea.

Ignis and Noctis were talking just in front of Iris and Prompto. Gladio was somewhere doing a job for Ignis.

"The sun is setting already" Iris broke the silence, looking outside the window at the orange light in the sky.

"Yeah…" Prompto replied, staring intently at the horizon.

The blonde was deep in thought, and Iris couldn't remember a time when he had been that serious and so… disconsolate.

"Are you alright?" she asked worried, hating that invisible barrier that separated them. She missed old, cheerful Prompto, always up for a meal or eager to take a picture. She couldn't even remember the last time he had grabbed his camera.

"Yeah" he repeated, sighing heavily and running a hand through his unruly hair.

The more they approached Gralea, the sadder he grew and Iris couldn't understand what was going on in that head of him. She imagined he was as discouraged as she was at the sudden change of mood among his companions, but wasn't really sure that was all. Prompto was a very optimistic person, and normally found a way to laugh it off even during the most desperate of the situations.

"It's not normal" he said suddenly after a moment of silence "The days are growing shorter and nights longer. Darkness is coming, that's what Aranea told us, right?"

"Yes, I remember" Iris nodded.

"Mhm…" the blonde simply hummed to himself and stopped speaking, back to his lonely thoughts.

Just as they began approaching the next station, Prompto stood up and headed over to Noctis, who was now sitting alone as Ignis and Gladio had left to check something.

"Hey buddy, did you see that snow cloud over there? I don't like it, kinda gives me the chills" Prompto said, standing in front of his best friend. Iris watched as Noctis gave the blonde a terrible look, something flashing behind his eyes and anger deformed his face.

The prince summoned his sword and mercilessly swung it, trying his best to slash any part of Prompto he could reach.

The blonde managed to dodge his attack, a look of pure shock on his face.

"What's going on?!" he shouted, while Noctis got ready for another attack. Iris tried to stand up and help, but somehow she couldn't: it felt as if she was frozen in place, unable to move or talk.

Prompto backed away, distancing himself from Noctis and his sword, unable to understand why his best friend had suddenly turned against him.

"Easy there, buddy! You alright?" Prompto said, a shiver running down his spine.

"SHUT UP!" Noctis shouted, swinging his sword once again.

That was a clear sign for Prompto to run away from his friend. "Wait-is this for real?"

Iris could only watch in horror as Prompto ran as fast as he could from Noctis, the prince following suit.

* * *

"C'mon Noct, you're scaring me! Seriously, man, cut it out!" Prompto was trying to reason with his friend, while keeping a good distance from him. He couldn't understand why he was suddenly attacking him, and why he was looking at him as if he was the most loathsome being in the world. Could it be because he had found out…?

In that case, he couldn't really blame him but pure instincts told him to keep running to save his life.

"Dude, are you seriously trying to kill me?" Prompto asked desperately when Noctis struck once more.

"Why wouldn't I?" Noctis replied, his words pure venom "I've got you now! What're you after, following me around all this time? It's all YOUR fault-!"

Prompto's eyes widened in shock and hurt at his words "Do you really mean this, Noct?"

The prince slammed the blonde against the wall and held him by the throat "OF COURSE I DO! You can't talk your way out of this!"

"You won't even let me!" Prompto exclaimed, on the verge of crying.

The train suddenly came to a halt, making Noctis lose his balance and hit his head on the floor.

Prompto was still shacking with fear and hurt, watching his best friend –or better, former best friend- lying motionless on the floor.

"Now, now. What have you done to upset the poor prince so much, uh Prompto?"

The photographer quickly turned his head to face the person speaking. Ardyn.

"You!" the blonde exclaimed angrily, summoning his gun.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you. You should obey your master, after all, not turn against him" Ardyn mocked him, leaning against a wall.

"You're no master of mine! I'm a free man!" Prompto shouted, pointing his gun at the other.

Ardyn laughed loudly "Free man? A man? Are you even one? You should know better by now"

"Ugh!" Prompto didn't know what to say or what to believe.

"Look at that" Ardyn pointed at the limp form of Noctis on the floor "Even your best friend loathes you for what you are. He knows what you are, and will kill you for being a traitor, _soldier_ ".

"STOP IT!" Prompto fired his gun, but only managed to pierce the wall where Ardyn had been leaning against mere moments ago.

"Come and get me, _soldier_!" Ardyn mocked him from afar, guiding him to the next car and all the way to the roof of the train.

"End of the road. Now be a good soldier and wait here a moment, will ya?" Ardyn smirked at him before disappearing.

* * *

Iris could finally move. She quickly stood up and began running to keep up with Noctis.

" _I hope Prompto's ok_ ", she thought.

"Iris!"

The girl turned around to meet Ignis and Gladio, who looked as concerned as her.

"Guys! We have to go and help Prompto! Noctis suddenly started attacking him, he… he…" she tried to explain quickly, stumbling upon her own words.

"What?" Gladio and Ignis seemed even more alarmed now, and followed the young girl toward the direction in which Noctis and Prompto had run off to.

The passengers were all screaming and running in opposite directions, the sound of explosions could be heard resonating from afar.

"They're bombing the train! It's the Empire!" Gladio shouted, and then suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Iris, what the hell were you talking about? Noctis and Prompto are over there, fighting the Empire".

The muscular man pointed somewhere in the distance, where Iris could indeed see the familiar faces of Noctis and –to her relief- a very healthy Prompto helping each other wipe out the Imperial soldiers just outside the train.

"But… but…." She stuttered, unable to comprehend the situation. Only mere moments ago Noctis had tried to kill the blonde, and now they were there as if nothing had ever happened.

Noctis suddenly teleported up in the sky, reaching the warships that were attacking the train. When she returned her gaze back to Prompto, he was gone.

"What-?!" she exclaimed in surprise "Where's Prompto?"

"I've got a bad feeling about this" Ignis said, suspicion evident in his tone "I believe Ardyn has played a trick on Noct and on us all".

"Do you think… Ardyn may have somehow caused Noctis to hallucinate?" Iris asked in disbelief.

"Not only Noct… He tricked all of us. We need to go and help Noct, quickly!" the spectacled man ordered, rushing forward despite his lack of visibility.

They followed him just as Noctis destroyed the last warship, landing on the roof of the train. Ignis stayed behind, while Gladio and Iris quickly climbed on top of the roof.

What happened next made the blood in their veins freeze: Ardyn was aiming Prompto's gun at the gunslinger, who had his arms up in the air in surrender, and Noctis was standing before them. However, the prince was not looking at Ardyn: he was looking at Prompto, pure disgust and hatred in his deep blue eyes. He summoned his sword and charged toward Prompto, hitting his arm in the process. The gunslinger lost his balance and fell off the train with a gasp.

Noctis' expression changed entirely at the sudden realization: he hadn't hit Ardyn, he had hit his friend. _He had pushed his best friend off the train!_

The prince quickly turned around to try and tear apart every single part of Ardyn's body he could find, but the man had vanished.

"PROMPTO!" they all shouted, running to the edge of the roof. The train was too fast, however, and they couldn't see the photographer anywhere, but could only hope he had survived the fall.

Iris was crying silently, her eyes fixed somewhere where Prompto had fallen.

"I-I'm so sorry..." Noctis whispered, tears starting to form in his eyes "I thought…"

"We know" Gladio retorted harshly "It's not difficult to fool you".

Noctis decided to ignore his comment and turned to Ignis, asking him to stop the train immediately.

The other man could only suggest evacuating the train first before dark, and then go look for Prompto.

Ardyn was nowhere to be found, which meant he had got Prompto. The thought of the gunslinger being alone in that despicable man's clutches made her stomach twitch. She was feeling sick, not knowing what had happened to Prompto, whether he was even alive, or being taken somewhere against his will to an Imperial base.

She was so desperate to know the answer that she almost jumped off the train to go and check herself, but she knew she had no chance to find him now. Ignis was right: they needed to come up with a plan, and Ardyn would surely use the young man as a bait.

When they arrived at the next station, all passengers were evacuated immediately, while they were greeted by Aranea.

"What did you do to your eyes?" she asked as soon as she saw Ignis "A flesh wound?"

"I'm… afraid not" he replied.

"Wow, that sucks" she said, trying to hide how sorry she actually felt for the man "It's a cruel world. But hey, wasn't there one more of you guys?"

"Yeah…" Noctis and Iris replied at the same time.

"Is he dead?"

Iris shot Aranea a terrible look, but she didn't notice.

"We… we don't know" Noctis replied sadly.

"Then quit moping and keep hoping" the silver-haired woman said, giving them the thumbs up.

Lacking Prompto's support, Ignis began walking uncertainly following the sound of their steps. The sight hurt Iris so much she decided to take Prompto's place for the time being, so the girl rushed to his side and grabbed his arm for support.

"Thank you" the man said kindly. She smiled even if he couldn't see it.

"You should blame the daemons, pawns of the Imperial army" Aranea said suddenly, guiding them to a large area not far from the station.

"The army that you fight for" Gladio retorted angrily.

" _Fought_ for. My men and I are in the search and rescue business now. I did say I didn't like the Empire that much" Aranea commented with a proud smirk.

When they arrived, she introduced them all to two of her best and most trusted men, Biggs and Wedge who offered to be the ones escorting them to wherever Ardyn was hiding with an empty train.

"I will take care of the passenger who have been grounded here" Aranea said "You go on ahead and kick that Chancellor's sorry ass!"

They worked quickly, making sure the train was completely empty before boarding it again with Biggs and Wedge. They left at three in the afternoon, but the sky was already getting dark.

They all watched as darkness fell on the world, knowing fully well they didn't have much time left before the daemons would be crawling everywhere.

Iris, however, wasn't too preoccupied for that. The only thing she could think about was Prompto. Was he still alive? And if so, where had he been taken to? Was he injured?

She would never forget the look of hurt and betrayal she saw on his face moments before falling off the train. She balled her hands into fists, trying to fight back the tears. When she could no longer do it, she stood up and left her companions to move to the next car.

She sat in a corner and let the tears stream down her cheeks as realization hit her: from the very day Prompto saved her life on their way back from the Wiz Chocobo Post, Iris had developed a stronger bond with someone she had always considered a simple acquaintance, someone of little importance in her life. However, in a very short period of time, the happy, easy-going and ever-smiling photographer had managed to carve his way through her heart, becoming one of the most important people ever, even more important than Noctis. And she had always doubted anyone could ever take the prince's special place, and definitely not Prompto Argentum. But he did: she had developed a huge crush on him, a crush that had kept evolving without her even noticing. And from the very moment she had seen him fall off the train, when she realized he was gone, she had understood it: she didn't simply have a crush on him now, however big that was. She was deeply and desperately in love with him. Every fiber of her body needed his touch, to be close to him. Her brain refused to believe he was dead, he couldn't be because she needed him in her life. She needed that ball of sunshine to light up her days, for the rest of her life. And little did it matter whether he felt the same for her or not –she had her doubts- for all that counted was knowing he was alright.

She was starting to feel cold, _very_ cold. She thought it was the lack of his presence, which was enough to warm her up, but when she saw that the air coming out of her mouth and nose was freezing mid-air, she knew something wasn't quite right.

The train was stopping, and she could hear the guys in the adjacent car stir and call for her.

She went to join them, not wanting to worry them further.

Noctis's widening eyes were the last thing Iris saw before everything went black.

"Hey, wake up".

Someone was gently shaking her, whispering in her ear.

"W-what happened?" Iris asked, slowly opening her eyes. She was glad to see Ignis, Gladio and Noctis seemed to be alright.

"Ardyn" Noctis answered simply "At least he made himself useful and told us where he has taken Prompto".

"So he's ok?!" she asked more vehemently than intended, and the others smiled.

"I believe so. He took him to Gralea" Noctis explained "We're heading there now".

"Though Ardyn didn't really say where exactly Prompto's being held" Gladio commented angrily.

"Well, I have a pretty good idea" Ignis intervened, massaging his chin "Zegnautus Keep, and impenetrable Imperial fortress. Prompto must be there".

"Impenetrable, uh?" Gladio smirked defiantly "We'll see 'bout that".

"And I bet it's where the Crystal has been taken to" Noctis said "Just perfect".

"Do you guys really believe the Crystal will help us fight the daemons?" Iris asked.

"Well, we know that the daemons are averse to the Crystal's Light. In that case, it might help us save the entire world" Ignis explained calmly.

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the train coming to a halt, and a horde of daemons attacking it.

The four friends tried summoning their weapons but, for some reason, that wouldn't work.

"What's this?" Noctis asked in disbelief.

The daemons were now in their car, getting dangerously close. Iris grabbed her Quicksilver and activated it, sighing in relief when she saw the creature had stopped abruptly.

"Let's get outta here!" Gladio exclaimed, guiding them to the nearest exit.

They ran as fast as they could to the last car, where the Regalia was waiting. They jumped in the car, Noctis immediately turning on the engine and driving them out of the train. He was going so fast it was impossible to take in their surroundings, as Ardyn's voice echoed all around them.

The Chancellor was destroying the tunnel they were in and blocking their only access point to Gralea, so Noctis pushed the majestic car at its limits. They managed to get out of the tunnel and enter Gralea just in time, but at a terrible price: the Regalia had gotten so damaged during their runaway that it was impossible to recognize it anymore.

"C'mon, let's go" Noctis said, without looking at them.

They made their way through collapsed train coaches, lying on the highway, and the dark, deserted city crawling with daemons.

They were forced to run away from them, as Ardyn had somehow managed to deprive them of their ability to summon their weapons. But Iris knew she could always count on the Quicksilver if things got really bad.

And they soon did.

As they were crouching under a particularly large coach to reach the other side of the road, it suddenly began collapsing onto the floor. In order not to be crushed by the tons of metal, Noctis rolled to one side, Iris to another and Gladio and Ignis were left behind without a chance to be reunited with the other two as the way was now completely blocked by the train car.

"You guys alright?" she heard Gladio ask.

"Yeah!" Iris and Noctis said in unison, though unable to see each other.

"Looks like there's no way to get to you" Gladio continued "We'll have to go around".

"Be careful, guys!" Iris shouted, standing up. She could hear Noctis a few feet away from her, but large boulders were standing between them, and Iris wouldn't waste time climbing them. Prompto was somewhere in that fortress and she needed to get to him quickly.

"Noct, I'm going on ahead" she said.

"No way! I can try to climb these boulders and…" he began, but she stopped him.

"No, Noct. We don't have time to waste. I'll see you at the Keep" and she ran off before he could say anything to stop her.

* * *

 **The idea of the smileys is from Sherlock! It's an awesome TV series, and if you haven't watched it yet... DO SO! :D**

 **Next Chapter: Iris continues her search for Prompto, as the gunslinger is held prisoner at the Keep. The loneliness, the insecurities and Ardyn playing tricks on their minds, however, won't make their survival an easy task.**


	22. If We Lose Ourselves

**This is the longest chapter ever posted! However, as we approach the end of the first part of this story, the chapters will become slightly shorter again :)**

* * *

Prompto opened his eyes and winced uncomfortably. His whole body hurt, his head was hammering so much he couldn't bear to stare at any source of light. It was scarce in the room he had been taken to, but enough to hurt his eyes.

He had halfway hoped it had all been a dream, that he would wake up in a nice hotel room with the others and laugh it off. But it wasn't: he was still locked up in a dark, empty cell somewhere in the Imperial capital, while Ardyn psychologically tortured him and his MTs beat him until he fell unconscious.  
He tried to move but bitterly remembered that his arms were chained to a metal device.

" _Wakey wakey_ ".

Prompto was almost tempted to roll his eyes: he hadn't missed that voice, and knew what came next.

" _Aww, don't make that face, Prompto. I'm your only friend, here"._

Prompto chuckled defiantly but didn't respond. He had had enough of playing Ardyn's stupid games.

" _Did the cat bite your tongue? Now now, Prompto, this is not how you treat someone who simply wants to help you?"_

"If you really wanna help me, then let me go!" Prompto couldn't help but retort angrily at the voice resonating in the cell. Ardyn laughed.

" _Go where, Prompto? You saw how your friend treated you on that train. He knows what you are and despises you for that. He considers you a traitor, and he wants you dead. Oh, I can see them all talking about you, how foolish they have been for not seeing right through you before. But they're happy now that you're gone"._

Prompto gritted his teeth, trying to fight back the tears in his eyes: that couldn't be true, it simply couldn't. But then he remembered how Noctis had suddenly turned against him, chasing him all the way to the rooftop where he had looked at him straight in the eyes with pure hatred and mercilessly pushed him overboard.

 _"Yes, Prompto. I am afraid it's all true"_ Ardyn continued, his voice sounding sympathetic and understanding _"But I can fix it. I can give you purpose"._

"By turning me into one of those MTs? Or worse, a Daemon?" Prompto asked, unable to contain his anger.

 _"You were always meant to be one"._

"NO!"

Prompto unsuccessfully tried to fight the chains binding him to the device, only to earn a new bruise on his right wrist.

"Dammit!"

A single tear managed to escape his eyes as he thought of his friends, all the things they had been through and how it all crumbled right before his eyes. And then he thought of Iris: what was she thinking in that moment? What did she think of him now that she knew the truth? Because Noctis must have told her too…

As if Ardyn could read his thoughts, he said _"She loathes you"._

Prompto snapped his eyes open in shock, his heart felt like shattering and he couldn't help but let the tears stream down uncontrollably.

 _"Join us, Prompto. You will forget all your fears and all your sorrows"_

"I'd rather die" the young blonde replied lowly but firmly.

 _"Very well then"._

Prompto knew he would pay for his insolence: it didn't take long before he heard the familiar marching of the MTs, approaching his cell mechanically.

The gunslinger didn't even bother to look up as he heard the door to his cell open. He saw the shadows of the emotionless soldiers getting closer, and he braced for what was going to happen.

One of them hit him hard in the face with a metal bar, and Prompto felt the skin above his left temple tear open and something wet run down his face. Another swung its weapon hitting him in the stomach, and the blonde felt the air in his lungs being cut off as he doubled over.

He felt the taste of blood in his mouth, and spat a glob of it onto the floor. If his friends really did reject him and hated him for what he was, Prompto would much rather die than accepting Ardyn's offer. He would feel sorry for his parents, whether they were still alive in the first place, but he would not dishonor them to the point of becoming an Imperial killing machine.

He had caused enough trouble anyway. And so he let the MTs punish him, knowing full well he deserved it all.

How long had it been since she had stepped inside the Keep? Iris had lost track of time, wandering about the endless corridors of that labyrinth, occasionally hiding when she met a particular strong group of MTs. She was trying to avoid using the Quicksilver now that she had suddenly discovered she couldn't summon her weapon, because she knew Ardyn was somewhere there, watching her movements...

Was Prompto really in that building, locked away somewhere? Was he alright? Or was he dead?

Iris shook her head, the thought of a seriously injured –or worse- Prompto making her sick.

She carefully advanced when the coast was clear, keeping her eyes and ears alert at any movement or sound.

Her heart felt like flipping when she saw a familiar face: on top of some stairs, looking down at her, was Prompto himself. He looked perfectly fine but something was off. He was staring at her but didn't say anything. She had expected him to come running to her, or at least give some sort of sign he had acknowledged she was right before him.

Instead, he simply stared ahead, immediately turning around and running away when she took a step forward.

"Prompto, wait!" she tried to stop him, but he had already disappeared behind a corner.

She didn't have a good feeling about this as alarm bells rang in her head, but decided to follow him anyway. Was that really Prompto? If so, why was he running away from her? Maybe he was angry and felt betrayed for being pushed off the train by his best friend, without them even trying to come and rescue him straight away.

She needed to explain the truth to him, so she ran after him, following him all the way to the upper floors until she saw him enter a room, the automatic doors closing behind him.

She followed suit and stepped inside a dark cell which looked like a storage room. There were large wooden boxes and some metal containers scattered around. Iris climbed the boxes in order to reach the other side where, indeed, she saw Prompto standing in the middle, giving his back to her.

"There you are, Prompto!" she said relieved, her voice sounding soothing and sweet.

The gunslinger slowly turned around to face her, giving her a stern look. She stopped in her track.

"Why are you here?" he asked, his voice so serious she hardly recognized it.

"To-to find you… and save you" she replied surprised.

"I don't need your help, or anyone else's" he stated coolly, crossing his arms.

"Prompto" Iris tried to reason with him "I know you're angry, I know you're disappointed and I know you're hurt! But you must understand that it was all Ardyn's doing, he made Noct push you off the train! We did try to come save you earlier but Ardyn was always one step ahead of us".

Prompto kept staring at her emotionless, his arms still crossed on his chest as if he didn't believe a word she said.

Iris sighed heavily and gave him a sad look "I'm so sorry, Prompto…"

That whispering sentence seemed to work, for the blonde seemed to relax a bit and untangled his arms. He took a step closer, placing himself in front of her and bore his bright blue eyes into her hazel ones. Iris stared back, her heart pounding against her ribcage but she noticed something was amiss…

"Prom-?"

She was cut off by the photographer who suddenly cupped her face with both hands and gingerly pressed his lips on hers, giving her a long passionate kiss. She was completely startled in the beginning but soon kissed him back, throwing her arms around his neck. She felt his hands slowly traveling down her back, and then to her waist and then to her _right pocket_.

She opened her eyes, alarmed, and immediately broke the kiss with a shriek when she found herself face to face not with Prompto, but with Ardyn himself. The man was smirking evilly, holding the Quicksilver in his hand.

"Give it back!" Iris commended as strongly as she could, wiping one hand over her mouth to try and get rid of the feeling of his lips on hers. She was absolutely disgusted and terrified: how foolish of her to fall for that trick. Her feelings for Prompto and the fact that she desperately needed to know he was alright had led her straight into Ardyn's trap.

"Poor, poor little Iris" Ardyn mocked while playing with the Quicksilver "You get carried away so easily when it comes to our young Prompto, uh?"

"I said, give it back!" she repeated more vehemently, pointing at the stone.

"Do you really believe I will give the stone back to you just 'cause you're trying to sound threatening? You're nothing without it, Iris Amicitia, and honestly never been anything. Did you feel invincible? You don't even know how to use its _true_ powers!" Ardyn said, still in his mocking tone and never stopping flipping the Quicksilver in the air.

She didn't know what to say or do: he was right. She couldn't do anything without the stone, and he was too powerful for her. But she was the chosen one, right? Not even Noctis could use it, the stone would eventually find its way into her pocket anyway. She smiled slyly.

"Pray tell" Ardyn said with a false polite tone "What's so amusing? I would love to have a laugh!"

"Oh, you'll see soon enough" it was her turn to mock him now. It was only a matter of time before the stone would vanish from his hands and reappear in hers.

"Oh… oh!" Ardyn seemed to realize something and snapped his fingers "Of course! You're thinking that the stone will come back to you because you have been chosen, right?"

Iris was taken aback, and didn't like his calm tone. He obviously knew something she didn't.

"I am so sorry to disappoint you, honey, but the stone likes to _change_!"

"What?"

"You see" Ardyn continued calmly as if explaining something very simply to a child "The Quicksilver sort of has a mind of its own, I daresay. It does not have single master, but can choose a different one _anytime_ based on their skills and power. _The stone is not loyal_ ".

"No… it can't be. It must be another trick of yours! Not even Noct could use it!" she tried to find a logical explanation to why the stone was still in Ardyn's hands and not in hers.

"Noctis might as well be ready for the stone now, if he tried. I doubt it though. Who could the stone ever choose after being in my hands? It acknowledges my true powers, you see? And no one else equals me!"

In one last, desperate attempt, Iris extended one arm and focused on the stone, as if trying to convince it to come back to her. Her heart broke once again that day when the stone remained safely tucked in Ardyn's fist.

She vaguely heard him laugh malevolently before he disappeared, leaving her alone in the dark room. Iris had never felt so empty in her life before.

How long had she been standing in the dark room, her fists clenched and her mind still cursing itself for being so weak and stupid, she didn't know. She should have known all along that Ardyn knew she had the Quicksilver: the bastard always seemed to be one step ahead of them, no matter what. He knew exactly what their next move would be, what their hearts desired, what they were thinking and how to manipulate them all.

Now he had the Quicksilver, and that meant the end of their world, the end of everything. He had won, she might as well just go and wait until darkness came and claimed all of their lives.

But she refused to give up, yet. She needed to find Prompto before the end, she needed to tell him how much she meant to her, even if he didn't feel the same.

Her legs moved automatically and led her outside the room. She was hoping Noctis, Gladio and –her heart ached- Ignis were alright, too. She was starting to feel tired after all the events of the day, and was immensely relieved when she stepped inside a room which looked like a dormitory. She thought she could rest a couple of hours, hoping Ardyn or the MTs wouldn't find her. She guessed that Ardyn was simply enjoying watching them wander around desperately, and lay on the comfortable bed thinking about the hideous but formidable opponent they were facing.

 _He had Prompto. He had the Quicksilver. The party had been split. Ignis was blind. Iris couldn't see a way out of this._

She was running through the dark tunnels of a dungeon, trying to escape from the terrible Daemon chasing after her. She stopped when she reached the too familiar dead end, turning around to face her demise. But it never came. She was surprised when she didn't see Noctis standing behind her like the previous times. All she could see was a faint light in the distance. It was coming closer and closer.

Iris frowned and tried to focus on the source of light, but couldn't distinguish the form. When it was close enough, however, she recognized the hooded figure that had been haunting her dreams. They stood in front of each other in silence, and Iris felt her heart drumming against her ribcage in anticipation.

The stranger slowly lifted his arms and pulled away the hood which was concealing the face. Somehow, she wasn't surprised when she was met with a crystal-blue eyed, freckled blonde who gave her a weak and almost apologetic smile.

As if his grin was a catalyst, Iris woke up with her heart racing out of control. She looked around the room, trying to remember where she was: the dream had felt so real, with Prompto's genuine smile and the familiar twinkle in his eyes that made him so different from Ardyn's emotionless ones. The dream had only confirmed what she already knew about her feeling for the gunslinger –he had been the mysterious hooded figure all along- but had made her realize that, no matter how good Ardyn was at impersonating people, he would always lack the ability to be human, and a caring one too.

She had been a fool to fall for his trap, but would most definitely never repeat the same mistake again.

When Prompto opened his eyes, the first thing he thought was that he had become blind. All was dark around him and he couldn't tell whether he was in the same cell as always, or what time of the day it was. So he waited for something to happen, too tired and sore to move, let alone speak.

"Prompto!"

Despite the pain which was torturing him, despite the desperation and insecurity he felt, Prompto's head automatically lifted upwards, trying to locate the source of the sound. That voice was so familiar… that unique voice he had so longed to hear once more…

"Ir…is?" his voice sounding so weak he almost didn't recognize it.

"Yes, Prompto. I finally found you!" Iris spoke once again, her voice so soothing Prompto's wounds and bruises almost didn't hurt that much anymore.

"Oh gods, what has he done to you?" she asked, and Prompto felt the warmth of another body beside him.

"Can't… see…" Prompto said and he immediately felt the girl hurry to the opposite side of the cell to find a light switch. Vision came back to Prompto and, even though the light barely allowed him to see the door of his room, it was enough for his heart to swollen with joy and hope: he could distinctly see the girl that had kept him going despite the tortures for so long.

The smile that began creeping up in his face, however, faded away almost instantly: how had she managed to enter his cell? Where were the others? Why had she been standing in the dark until he had come to?

"Prompto, is there something wrong?" she asked as if reading his thoughts.

"You're not Iris" he said coolly, his voice sounding slightly stronger now "This is another one of Ardyn's tricks".

"Prom, it's me, I swear! Whatever that monster has done to you, it's over now. The others have gone to fetch the Crystal, and then we can all go back home. Please Prompto, you've got to believe me" the girl replied with a sad expression on her face.

Prompto didn't know what to believe: Ardyn had tricked him before, and there were so many things that didn't make sense right now.

"Look, it's me" she continued, stepping closer and closer "I just need to find a way to free you from this machine".

Iris started looking around as if expecting to find the key or anything which could help her with the task.

"It's no use, Ir" Prompto said defeated "Ardyn's got the key card. Just get the Crystal and go. I would never forgive myself if something happened to any of you because you were trying to help me".

"You gotta be kidding, right? We will never leave you behind" Iris shook her head, and walked toward him once again, closer and closer. When she was in front of him, Prompto lifted his head again to meet with her hazel eyes, before closing his when she placed the back of her hand on his cheek, caressing it. He tilted his head to the side, enjoying the delicate strokes that comforted him so much, the warmth of her skin…

"You're a fool, Prompto Argentum".

The ice in her voice and the words she had just spoken made him snap his eyes open in shock.

"I lied" she smiled "Well, sort of. It is true that me and the others have come here for the Crystal, but well, as you said… risking our lives for someone like you? Or should I say, _something_?"

"Wh-what?" Prompto was so confused he was sure his emotions were written all over his face.

"An MT, Prompto. Daemon blood runs through your veins. That's what you are: a traitor. Oh, you should have seen Noctis's face when we found out. He said you deserve it all, and that you're going to rot in here until the end of your miserable days".

Iris was speaking calmly, but with the clear intention of hurting him like never before. And Prompto had to admit that her words were tearing him apart bit by bit, slowly and painfully, and he thought that the beating he regularly received from the MTs hurt much less than this.

"Did you really think I could develop feelings for someone like you? As soon as I found out about your true nature, all I could feel was disgust. _You repel me_. How can someone love a monster?"

She laughed. A high-pitched, cold laughter which was so out of character on her gracious face, so in contrast with her normally melodic and gentle one.

Prompto watched with tears in his eyes as she opened the door to his cell and locked it again behind her without a second look at him.

 _"Poor Prompto. Did little Iris break your heart?"_

Ardyn's mocking voice resonated throughout the cell and Prompto felt a fit of rage overcome him.

 _"You should take my advice and join me, soldier, as it was always meant to be. Your friends have abandoned you. I can guarantee you I will never do such a thing"_

"You're just messing with my head!" Prompto shouted as much as his weakened state allowed him to "It was you all along!"

 _"Maybe I have, or may not. One thing is certain, though: I haven't seen your beloved friends anywhere here. If they care so much as you say, why are you still locked up in that room? I would start asking myself that question if I were you"_

"They will come" Prompto said firmly despite the pain that once again assaulted him, both physically and emotionally "I know they will".

He was answering Ardyn's question but he knew he was also trying to convince himself that they would indeed come to rescue him. He trusted his friends, he trusted Iris, he had to believe they were somewhere out there trying to locate him. They wouldn't leave him like that.

 _"Think what you want, kid. But your dear prince did chase after you all over that train before kicking you off it, right? And it's been weeks since that happened. Doesn't seem to me they're anywhere nearby, and you're still connected to my machine. The signs are pretty clear to me, but I take my hat off to you for your loyalty and perseverance"._

Prompto didn't bother to answer him, but he would be lying if he said Ardyn's words hadn't installed the tiniest doubt in his mind.

* * *

She stopped abruptly when she heard familiar voices not too far from where she was standing. She cautiously followed the direction where their screams were coming from and eventually saw them: Ignis and Gladio desperately fumbling with some switches while Noctis was fighting his way through a long corridor, and a wall of electricity dangerously approaching him.

Was that another one of Ardyn's tricks? Or was it the reality?

Her instincts told her to trust her eyes and go help the three young men. When she was close enough, Ignis lifted his head, recognizing her footsteps.

"Iris" he said simply. Gladio turned his attention to his sister, his eyes widening with relief and worry.

"No time for the greetings, let's get Noct out of there!" she ordered, joining Gladio to find the correct switch to turn off the devilish device. They found it just in time, before the wall could fully hit Noctis who was now crouching in one corner pressing his back against the glass surface of the wall behind him.

"That was a close one" he whispered breathing heavily "I'm so glad to see you guys".

Everyone else nodded, before turning their heads to Iris.

"What happened to you? It looks like you've seen a ghost" Gladio asked after taking a look at his sister.

"I've met something worse than a ghost, believe me" she replied, shaking her head. This was the part where she was supposed to tell them about Ardyn and how she had lost the Quicksilver. When the others gave her a questioning look, she sighed and quickly explained them about her encounter with the mysterious man, carefully avoiding the part where he had kissed her as Prompto in order to steal the stone from her.

"So he has the Quicksilver, too" Noctis whispered angrily. Ignis shook his head and Gladio simply stared at her with a "how could you let this happen?"-look.

"I'm sorry" she muttered.

"No need to be" Noctis replied gently "We all know what Ardyn is capable of. It was not your fault. After all, I've been fooled too, which is the reason why we're in this bloody mess now".

"Right" Ignis intervened "Our priority now is to find Prompto and the Crystal. We will deal with Ardyn later".

The newly reunited friends proceeded all together, and Iris couldn't help but feel relieved to be standing by their sides once more. She had been alone in that abandoned building for far too long and almost thought she was starting to lose it, and the girl felt a shiver run down her spine at the thought of Prompto being held prisoner somewhere in there for weeks.

"I hope Prompto's ok" she said sadly.

"You wouldn't tell, but he's a tough one" Noctis said more cheerfully "He did make it this far, didn't he?"

"He did surprisingly well" Gladio nodded in agreement "I didn't think he'd manage through the first night when we started our journey".

"We all underestimated his potential" Ignis joined the conversation "He has always been one of the bravest and strongest of us all".

It warmed her heart to hear them say such nice things about Prompto, and she couldn't wait until they could tell him in person. Even though they were four now, they were still unable to summon their weapons and, with the Quicksilver gone, their only choice was to run from the MTs that were occasionally sent after them.

"That bastard of Ardyn" Noctis said through gritted teeth after a particular intense chase "He'll pay for all this".

To Iris it felt like they had been walking and running forever. The building didn't have any windows and the party couldn't tell whether it was day or night. They simply kept marching on until their legs couldn't carry them any further and decided to sleep in one of the safe dormitories scattered throughout the keep.

When she was awoken by Noctis tenderly whispering it was time to go, she immediately knew they were on the right track.

 _"Just a little further. Prompto is waiting for you"_

"Ardyn" Iris and Noctis said in unison, their expressions hardening instantly.

 _"I have had the opportunity to get to know your friend a little better during his stay here. And boy, he's got some skeletons in his closet"._

Iris didn't miss the look of surprise and curiosity on the others' faces, and she was sure they could read the same on hers. What did he mean by that? She was tempted to ask the question out loud, but wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

 _"Go ahead. He's just around the corner"._

When they followed his instructions, they could indeed see the limp body of their blonde party member hanging by the wrists by a metal device in a locked room. Noctis immediately ran to assist his friend, using the security card he had found days before to unlock the door.

They all burst into the room, with Noctis rushing to free Prompto's wrists from the metal cuffs and Iris cupping his face to check he was still breathing. She gave a sigh of relief when she felt his pulse despite it being quite weak.

While Noctis managed to undo the cuffs, Iris and Gladio stood by each of the gunslinger's side to catch him before he could touch the ground.

The blonde was unconscious, and Iris, Gladio and Noctis gasped when they saw him in the dim light: his bare arms were covered with bruises and cuts, his forehead was bleeding profusely, he had a split lip and several scratches all over his face.

When he came to, his eyes slowly focused on each one of them before widening in fear. Despite being in such a weakened state, the blonde boy managed to break free from their grasp and crawled away from them.

"Prom, it's us" Noctis said confused. He carefully approached his friend and knelt down "It's me, buddy... Noct".

"Yeah right" Prompto retorted defiantly. Noctis's expression turned from relieved and cheerful to confused and hurt.

"What's the matter, dude?"

"You're just messing with my head, leave me alone!" Prompto pushed Noctis away from him with incredible force, and the prince fell onto the cold floor.

"What's your problem?" Gladio asked, lending Noctis a hand.

"Isn't it obvious?" Iris intervened "Ardyn must have done something to him. We all know he likes to mess with people's heads, pretending to be someone he's not".

The party fell silent, processing Iris's words.

The girl moved first, taking a few uncertain steps toward the photographer who was sitting on the floor resting his back against the wall behind him, and his arms wrapped around his head as if shielding him from whatever danger was outside.

She sat beside him and slid one arm around his shoulders and gently stroked his hair. She immediately felt his body stiffen and he quickly grabbed her hand and pushed it away.

"Don't touch me!" he shouted, distancing himself from them all even more.

"Prompto! What the hell is wrong? It's us, dude" Gladio tried to reason with him but it seemed impossible at the moment. The blonde simply stared suspiciously at them, refusing to let them approach him.

"Prompto, I know it is hard for you to believe it really is us this time" Ignis finally spoke "I cannot even imagine what you must have gone through the past few weeks, but I assure you it hasn't been easy for us either. We've been desperately trying to locate you, and we're not letting Ardyn destroy the bond that keeps us together with his bloody tricks!"

"Right! Buddy, it's us. I know Ardyn has been messing with your heah, but he did the same to us" Noctis continued.

The party's hopeful faces fell as soon as they looked at Prompto: no matter what they said, he didn't seem to be willing to believe them.

"Prompto" Iris spoke up after a few moments of silence. She walked once again toward the blonde, not caring when she noticed his feeble attempts to crawl back against the wall.

She knelt down so she was at eye-level with him. "Look into my eyes".

The strange and unexpected request made Prompto instinctively look up and his blue eyes locked with hers. It took all of her self-control not to burst into tears when she saw how empty and hopeless they looked now, so different from the lively twinkle they used to carry.

"What do you see?" she asked when she made sure he wouldn't look away.

He stared at her but didn't respond, so she did it for him "The eyes are supposed to mirror our soul, right? Ardyn's don't carry any sparkle, any light in them. He is an empty, emotionless shell. We are not, Prompto! We are us, we are friends and family".

She smiled tenderly when she saw tears starting to form in his eyes, and she knew she had succeeded. He nodded at her, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to wet his cheeks. He focused his attention on Noctis.

"I knew you'd come. All of you. It's what kept me going all this time. I needed to hold on even only to hear you say I'm the real me" he spoke weakly, composing himself and standing up.

"Were you… worried about me?" he asked after a moment.

"What kind of question is that?" Noctis asked back with a smirk "Of course we were!"

Prompto gave a large smile at his best friend's answer, and the familiar sparkle came back into his eyes.

"Thank you. Everyone".

It was now time to claim back the Crystal and the Quicksilver. Ardyn hadn't spoken since they found Prompto, and Iris knew he was up to something. But she forced herself not to think about the enemy, and only focused on Prompto who was walking beside her, his steps slightly unbalanced and uncertain due to all the damage his body had suffered.

The rest of the party seemed to have noticed too, because they decided to stop at a dormitory where they could try and mend his wounds and let him rest for a while.

Iris guided him to the nearest bed and helped him lie down. She barely registered Noctis's voice and the other three men leaving the room. They were alone now, realization suddenly hitting her and making her heart race.

Iris took a first-aid kit from Ignis's backpack and opened it, immediately focusing on the deep cut on his left eyebrow. The bleeding had stopped, the blood now dried up on his fair skin. She took a wet cloth and began wiping the blood away, before proceeding to cleaning the wound itself and disinfecting it properly. Prompto winced with pain but let her do her job without interrupting until the girl was completely satisfied with the way it now looked.

"It will leave a scar" she said tenderly "But not a very large one".

"It's alright" he replied with a smirk "It's cool to show I've been at war".

Iris couldn't help but laugh "You're such a show-off! Who're you gonna show it to anyway?"

"Uhm, my parents? Or all the kids that used to make fun of me in middle school?" he answered, his signature grin never leaving his face.

Iris didn't say anything, but she did wonder whether he would actually ever get the chance to be reunited with his parents, or meet with the kids he was talking about. Whether _she_ would get the chance to see her family and friends again.

"I hope they're ok" she said, and Prompto understood.

"Thank you, Iris" he whispered softly, placing one hand on top of hers "For taking care of me. I appreciate it".

Iris smiled at him and squeezed his hand, hoping he couldn't feel her racing pulse beneath his hand.

She almost hated herself in that moment: she had promised she would tell him how much he meant to her after finding him, and yet here she was, alone with him, and unable to reveal how she truly felt about him. She was sure Noctis had understood her intentions and therefore had led the others outside, and yet she couldn't fulfill what she had promised to do.

Instead, she focused her attention on the rest of his wounds, mending the ones on his arms and the large cut on his leg. She blushed heavily when she lifted his shirt to check whether his chest and back were fine, and focused solely on the anger that was building up inside her when she noticed how many bruises and cuts had been left on the blonde's body by Ardyn.

She was examining a particularly nasty bruise on his collarbone when she felt his intense gaze on her. She looked up and locked eyes with him, her blush growing even wider as he smirked at her.

He sat up on the bed and took off his shirt entirely so that it could be easier for Iris to use her bandages on him.

"This one is pretty bad" he said, pointing at the nasty looking bruise "I got it when I told Ardyn he could go eat Chocobo excrements when he…"

Prompto trailed off and then shook his head with a smile "Nevermind".

"Do you have some ice for this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl's distracted expression.

"Wha-? Oh, yes, of course!" she answered agitated, and immediately rushed to the backpack by the side of the bed and took some ice for medical purpose. She unpacked it and carefully placed it onto the sore spot indicated by Prompto, trying to ignore their extreme proximity. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek…

"You're so beautiful, Iris" she heard him say, and lifted her head to stare at him. She saw he was giving her a strange look, for there was definitely something different in his eyes. Iris could tell it was indeed some sort of feeling, so different from Ardyn's vacant expression…

Her brain quickly registered how close his face was coming to hers, his lips parting slightly and she instinctively mimicked him. She felt his lips brush against hers lightly when the door suddenly opened to reveal Noctis, Gladio and Ignis walking back in. The couple sitting on the bed immediately separated, with Iris jumping off the bed and Prompto falling back onto the pillow.

"What happened to your shirt?" Gladio blurted out, looking at the gunslinger disapprovingly.

"I-I was merely mending a nasty bruise there" Iris explained, her voice sounding too high-pitched and nervous.

Gladio scoffed at her comment and went to claim the bed beside Prompto, probably to keep an eye on him, while Noctis strode across the room with a knowing smirk on his face. Iris could swear that, before climbing onto his own bed, the prince had winked at them.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: in order to retrieve their weapons, Prompto is forced to reveal what he really is. As Ignis, Gladio and Prompto hold back the Daemons, Iris and Noctis go on ahead to retrieve the Crystal. However, things don't go exactly as planned...**


	23. Left Behind

**Shorter chapters from now on, I'm afraid. But hopefully intense ones :D Enjoy!**

* * *

It was time to end it. Ignis made sure everyone was fully awake, gently shaking them to signal it was morning, at least according to his phone. He was surprisingly good at finding their own beds for lacking his eyesight.

They barely had enough to eat for breakfast, consisting of some tinned food left in Ignis's backpack. Prompto's stomach growled in protest after the scanty meal, but he didn't complain. Even though he had barely been brought any food since he had been taken prisoner, he refused to let it show. It was more than enough that his friends had actually come to his rescue, and that was all that mattered to him.

Iris took extra care in making sure Prompto's injuries looked fine for him to proceed and, seemingly satisfied, she let the gunslinger stand up from his bed. The nasty cut on his eyebrow had been properly cleaned and mended, and was beginning to heal up but it was clear enough that it would leave a visible scar behind.

When everyone was ready they set off again, determined to get the Crystal and the Quicksilver back. Ardyn may have been a formidable foe, but they knew they could defeat him once and for all. He had caused enough troubles, and it was finally time for light to shine once more upon Eos.

They made their way to the upper floors without encountering anyone. Iris thought it was strange, as Ardyn loved to make their lives a hell.

It was when they arrived at the central elevator which could take them to the very last floors of the keep that they heard him again.

" _Do you sense anything familiar? But of course! Your beloved weapons lie just beyond that barrier you see. Oops, sorry for being indelicate, Ignis..."_

Everyone gritted their teeth at Ardyn's words, but Ignis remained impassive. _"But how to reach them?"_

They were indeed standing in front of a large room, sealed by an electronic barrier. Noctis's security card didn't seem to work on the panel on the wall, and the party was growing impatient. Prompto, however, hadn't spoken a word and seemed to be inwardly fighting against something.

"Are you alright, Prom?" Iris asked, placing one hand on his shoulder.

"I know a way to open that door" he said suddenly, his voice sounding resigned "Stand back".

He walked toward the panel, where a scanner was placed on top of it and removed his right glove. He then proceeded to place his exposed wrist on the scanning machine and the barrier deactivated, revealing their weapons in all their splendor.

Everyone remained silent as Prompto turned around and gave them a sheepish look.

"I-I guess it's time to tell the truth" he said, his voice shaking with concern "So as it turns out, I'm one of them guys. Have always been."

He lifted his right arm and showed them the bar code printed on his wrist, a look of pure disgust on his face "I'm so sorry for being… what I am. But I can't help it, I didn't choose this…"

He trailed off and closed his eyes as if expecting them to sentence him to death.

Suddenly, everything made sense to Iris: why Prompto had always been concerned whenever he had been out cold with her taking care of his injuries, concealing his right wrist and asking so many questions on the nature of MTs and Daemons. In other circumstances, she would have felt betrayed for not telling them straight away, but not now. Prompto had always been loyal, and had risked his life multiple times to save theirs. He might have been created to become an MT, but he never fulfilled that purpose. He was a Lucian, and would always be one. She could only imagine how tough it must have been for him to hide such a terrible secret from his best friends for so long.

Noctis was the first to speak, and his words made her smile warmly.

"So what?" he said simply "Doesn't seem to me that you're turning against us".

"Right" Ignis nodded approvingly, while Gladio smiled at the young blonde "You're one of us, Prom. Always have, and always will be".

Prompto smiled back with a look of pure joy all over his freckled face. His smile quickly faded as he turned to Iris. He gave her an expectant look, waiting for her to say something.

She was almost tempted to tease him by telling him she would refuse to work with an MT, but thought against it as the boy had already been through a lot of crap the past few weeks, and definitely didn't deserve more.

She gave him the warmest smile she could muster "You are Prompto Argentum, Crownsguard of the King of Lucis and our best friend. Unless you'd rather not be".

For a moment, Iris thought the boy would burst into tears, but then he simply gifted them all with his usual grin and scratched the tip of his nose in embarrassment.

"Thank you, guys. It means a lot to me".

"So, let's go and take back what's ours" Noctis encouraged, stepping inside the room to retrieve his sword. Everyone else followed suit, grabbing their respective weapons –Prompto immediately helping Ignis locate his daggers.

They marched toward the elevator, relieved they could finally defend themselves against the hordes of Daemons Ardyn was sending after them, in his last attempt to defeat them before they could reach the final floor.

But their strong bond and their newly found hope and determination allowed them to proceed without much effort, and they eventually arrived to the top.

A platform separated them from the last room which would take them to the Crystal, and Ardyn decided it was time to play his last card. The dirtiest, sneakiest trick he had ever played so far.

They all froze when they were met with Ravus –or better, what was left of him. Ardyn had turned his corpse into a deadly Daemon, and it hurt even more to see the white-haired man try to fight against the darkness imbuing his limbs.

They didn't have any choice but fight back, as darkness took over the ex Commander and forced him to swing his devastating sword at them. The fight was not an easy one, mostly because they didn't want to hit an innocent person.

"Just… kill me… please" Ravus managed to speak in a brief moment of lucidity, and Noctis didn't have a choice but to end his misery. The man fell unceremoniously to the floor, vanishing with the darkness surrounding him, a thankful smile managing to creep up onto his face before he disappeared forever.

"Poor devil" Gladio commented, looking at the spot where Ravus had been lying mere moments ago "Never been particularly fond of the guy, but he didn't deserve this ending".

No one had the time to add anything as an army of Daemons appeared out of nowhere, blocking their path to the next platform. The elevator which would be taking them there was waiting at the other end of the room where they were standing, and Gladio shouted to Noctis to hurry up and go while they bought him some time.

Noctis gave him a stubborn look, refusing to leave his friends in danger.

"Noct, just go! We will be right behind you!" Ignis shouted while miraculously dodging a particularly powerful attack being thrown his away by an Iron Giant. He seemed to be the favorite target now that he was blind and much weaker than before, but the spectacled man refused to give in.

Prompto made sure he was never too far from Ignis, ready to intervene to protect him if necessary.

"Iris, go with Noct" Gladio ordered his sister "I'll feel better knowing you're with him".

Iris nodded, even though she'd preferred staying behind and helping them, but thought her brother was right: Noctis needed help too.

The two made their way to the elevator, swiftly dodging the enemies' attacks and arrived safe and sound downstairs and onto the last platform. The doors across the vast room were closing, and Ardyn made sure powerful Daemons were standing between them and their way to the Crystal.

"Run!" Noctis commanded, sprinting toward the doors and completely ignoring the opponents chasing after him. Iris ran as fast as she could to keep up with him and never stopped, not even when they were faced with a Red Giant at the end of the road. They simply avoided the gigantic enemy and rolled forward, making it to the next room just before the doors closed completely.

They were panting heavily, but happy to be still alive.

"I hope they're gonna be fine" Noctis said as the tried to catch his breath.

"They can take care of themselves" Iris tried to comfort him, but she was mostly trying to convince herself they would be fine.

 _"Be safe guys. Be safe, Prompto"._

The two friends didn't encounter anyone else after their wild run, and Iris inwardly chuckled at how absurd the whole situation was at the moment. A few months before, she would have killed to be able to go on an adventure with Noctis. Now that she was on one with him, all she wanted was a normal life back in Insomnia, seeing her friends and family and –her stomach flipped- spending some quality time with Prompto.

She wondered how it would feel like to go on a proper date with him, see a movie at the cinema and eat a chili-mayo burger at the largest Crow's Nest in Lucis. That was all she wished for in that exact moment. But she knew that Insomnia was in Ardyn's hands, crawling with Daemons and its citizens hiding somewhere in hope that the King of Light would come for them soon. Or maybe they were all dead...

She forced to clear her mind from all the negative thoughts and kept marching on in silence with the prince.

"We'll make it through, Iris" Noctis said out of the blue, making her jump "I promise you, everything's going to be just the way it used to be".

"You better" she joked with a grin, and he smiled back.

Soon enough, they arrived at a bridge which connected the platform on which they were standing to the room where the Crystal was shining bright.

"There it is" Noctis whispered, his eyes fixed on the object which would save their world, the very same object that had caused the death of so many loved ones.

When Noctis came close to it, he extended one arm to touch the Crystal. He panicked, however, when the Crystal shone brighter and started pulling him in, Iris trying her best to help him break free but without success.

"Why? Why is this happening?" the prince asked in frustration, still trying to fight the force which was restraining him.

"Unharmed by the Light. The Chosen King indeed".

Noctis and Iris turned toward the source of the sound, and found themselves face to face with Ardyn himself.

"Allow me to tell you a tale, prince Noctis" he continued calmly "Long, long time ago, mankind was plagued by an incurable scourge and only one savior was to be found in Eos. His body would come to host myriads of Daemons, that countless lives be spared. But a jealous king, one not yet chosen by the Crystal, ostracized and demonized this healer of the people. I gave you my name earlier, but you should know that it was not the name given to me at birth".

Noctis had almost fully been pulled inside the Crystal, and Iris could only watch in horror as Ardyn revealed his truth.

"Ardyn Lucis Caelum is my proper name. You'll never guess whose name Izunia was." He was smiling dreamily at them. "Noct, killing you as a mortal will bring me scant satisfaction. Claim the Crystal's power, arise as its Champion. Only once the Crystal and King are no more, can I know redemption. Come back soon, I shall keep your friends company".

Noctis was finally completely pulled inside now, and Iris screamed his name while trying to jump in with him. When she failed to grab his hand before it disappeared, she turned around to face Ardyn, her eyes blazing with anger.

Ardyn simply looked at her amused, awaiting her reaction.

The girl couldn't think rationally anymore, and all she felt in that moment was pure and raw anger. She threw herself at Ardyn, trying to hit every single part of his body she could manage and barely registered that the man wasn't even trying to fight back. He simply let her hit him over and over again.

Iris sensed some movements around her, the sounds of new voices and hands forcefully grabbing her and dragging her away from the man she hated most in her life.

"It's me, sis! Gladio!"

She focused her attention on the muscular form of her older brother who was desperately trying to calm her down.

"Where's Noct?" Prompto asked angrily, pointing his gun at Ardyn, who was still lying on the floor after being hit by Iris.

"Where he's meant to be" he replied nonchalantly, pointing at the Crystal behind them "I'd make myself comfortable if I were you. Might take some time".

He laughed, sending shiver down their spines and Prompto pulled the trigger. A hole appeared on the man's forehead, while his body limply fell onto the floor motionless, the shadow of a smile still on his face. Everyone stared in silence as the gunslinger panted heavily, his gun still pointed at Ardyn.

None of them was really surprised when the purple-haired man blinked a few moments later and grabbed his hat to place it on his head as nothing had happened.

"By the way" he said, stopping in his tracks "the Quicksilver".

He stuffed one hand in one of the pockets of his long coat and extracted the crimson stone, which was now sparkling like never before.

"I believe it wants _you_ to do something" he said, throwing the stone at Iris who caught it mid-air.

He tipped his hat in a mockery salute and left the room with a smirk, leaving the four of them in confusion.

"What happened?" Ignis asked.

"Ardyn… he- he gave Iris the Quicksilver" Prompto explained "But why?"

"It never shone like that before, right?" Gladio intervened, staring at the stone in his sister's hands.

"He said the Quicksilver wants me to do something. But what?" Iris muttered to herself while holding the stone higher in the air as if expecting it to guide her "What should I do?"

The stone sent brighter rays of crimson lights and a sudden, powerful force began dragging her towards the Crystal.

"What the…?!" she exclaimed while her legs automatically walked towards the source of light behind her.

"Iris, what're you doing?" Gladio jumped forward, grabbing his sister's arm and trying to pull her away from the Crystal.

The girl didn't have an answer, and knew she couldn't fight the force that was dragging her like a magnet, just like Noctis couldn't fight the one that had pulled him inside the Crystal. She knew what would happen next and gave the three guys an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry" she said "I have to go with Noct".

"Go where? What're you talking about?" Gladio's voice sounded so desperate that her heart ached.

"Iris, what the hell?" Prompto stepped forward, instinctively reaching out for her and her heart finally broke.

"I'm sorry" she repeated while tears ran down her face "I'll be back".

"When?" the blonde asked, fear written all over his face.

"Soon. I promise" she managed to say before the Crystal's light engulfed her. She made sure to mentally note the last thing she saw: Ignis silently waiting in the background, her brother staring in shock and Prompto's freckled face desperately trying to reach her before everything went black.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: ten, long years have passed and Eos has fallen into darkness and chaos. However, the Quicksilver awakens once more and it is time to return home... [!Party reunited!]**


	24. Homecoming

Iris's senses slowly came back as she opened her eyes. She had found shelter in an abandoned barn in the middle of nowhere. Nothing surrounded the area where she was, and daylight never shone upon that forgotten land. When was the last time she had spoken to another human being? When was the last time she had even seen one? Something stirred in her memory, a boy that used to haunt her dreams. She could barely recall his face now, let alone his voice. And yet, she remembered he was important. He had always been.

Something felt different that day. Or night. Iris couldn't really tell anymore. It was forever dark, and she didn't really care anymore.

But the Quicksilver that had kept her company for so long had started to shine brighter and brighter again. It was unusual for her to see it glow crimson once more, after it had fallen hollow for what felt like ages.

She had kept the promise she had made to Bahamut, the god she met when she had been pulled inside the Crystal together with Noctis. Bahamut had told her she was the last guardian of that very stone created by the Six, and that she would be the key to not only help the King bring back Light, but also to restore certain events that were bound to happen but never did due to the Star Scourge.

She hadn't understood what Bahamut meant by that then, and still didn't. All she knew was that she had a mission, and today she would fulfill it.

She looked up at the dark sky before shutting her eyes in one last, desperate attempt to remember the boy's face. Or his voice.

No luck. It had been too long.

She moved her long hair falling onto her face aside and left her shelter for the last time, guided by the glowing Quicksilver. It felt as if they had developed such a strong bond in all those years that they could communicate without using words. It was almost instinctive because they were meant to be together as master and faithful servant.

She vaguely remembered how she had been separated from Noctis after their encounter with Bahamut, where he had been chosen as the King of Light, the one who would restore peace in Eos.

She wondered where he was, how he was doing. And her mind once more wandered off to the only person that had kept her sane in all her lonely years, despite remembering only his name now: Prompto Argentum.

She had forced herself to mentally repeat his name over and over again so she wouldn't forget at least that. She recalled how she had managed to hold onto that last, brief moment they had spent together before being separated forever, but her memory eventually betrayed her and erased that too.

 _Prompto. Argentum._

She could only hope he was still alive, still waiting somewhere out there for their return, still fighting against the darkness.

"Gladio, Ignis, Noctis, Prompto" she said, her voice sounding so foreign to her "I'm coming back home."

* * *

Ten years. Ten long years spent in the dark, alone. Well, technically he _did_ have company, but not the one he would have thought. When Noctis and Iris had been pulled inside the Crystal, he had waited together with Gladio and Ignis for them to resurface shortly after. Gods knew how long they had been standing there, waiting patiently. But they never came back, and his heart did a flip when he heard Ignis speak the dreaded words " _We should get going_ ".

Those simple words had torn him apart because they sounded so definitive, so final…

He understood that signified the two people that meant the most to him would not be coming back.

But Iris had promised! She said she would...

He remembered how Gladio had grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the Crystal as his legs refused to move on their own. He had been literally dragged away from the building and they somehow managed to return to Hammerhead, after a long and silent train ride with the help of Biggs and Wedge.

Once there, they had been greeted by a much worried Cindy whose eyes widened even more in shock and fear upon hearing what had happened. The girl was not used to seeing Prompto that way, so sad and distant. She had tried her best to cheer him up –and in other circumstances he would have been overjoyed with all the attention from the hot girl- but he simply didn't care anymore. He had lost all he had ever cared for, and he felt like his life no longer had a meaning.

Gladio and Ignis had been very supportive in the beginning, making sure he ate and took care of himself without getting killed at the first occasion. Because he had to admit he had tried very hard by accepting hunt quests far too dangerous even for the most experienced warrior in the world, and only Gladio's or Ignis's intervention had allowed him to come back home in one piece.

But without Noctis as the main conjunction ring, the party had quickly fallen apart. Even though Prompto could call Gladio and Ignis his friends, they had started to see each other less and less until they had taken separate paths.

Prompto had never left Hammerhead, the only place he could call home. Sort of. He still missed the Crown City more than any other place, and still secretly hoped his friends, family, Noctis and –his stomach twitched nostalgically- Iris were still alive so they could all claim the capital together and go back home. Hammerhead was much more dangerous than Lestallum for its lack of a power plant supplying the city, but it was well fenced and defended by veteran hunters, including himself.

He looked at his own reflex in the mirror in the tiny bathroom of the motel room where he now lived. He was now working full-time as a professional hunter, killing Daemons to earn some cash so he could carry on with his meaningless life. He wasn't sure why he was still holding on. Probably because he still had the faintest hope...

He returned to his bedroom, avoiding stepping onto the pile of dirty clothes scattered all over the floor, and picked up the photo album that he always stored by his bedside. He would always open the album before bed, and would refuse to let sleep overtake him before he was finished looking at all the pictures he had taken during their journey.

A nostalgic smile crept up to his face as he flipped through the pictures of him and Noctis proudly showing the Regalia parked behind them, or those of Ignis cooking one of his delicious meals at the camp, or Gladio posing so naturally for the camera. His heart skipped a beat when he came to his favorite and yet most dreaded part: the selfies he had taken with Iris. The sweet smile on her face still warmed his heart even after all those years. He would be lying if he said he hadn't been attracted to other women during those ten years. After all, he did work with female hunters too, sometimes sharing a tent with them at camp when they were required to travel far...

He still remembered that one flirt he'd had with a particularly pretty one who had told him square in the face that that might be the last night she would ever live, before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him full on the lips. He had liked it -especially what happened after that- but couldn't say he had ever fallen in love. His heart still belonged to her, to his Iris.

He doubted he could ever love another woman after her. It would be impossible to ignore his instincts, as they were part of his nature, of him being a male, but he knew no other woman could win his heart. Not even Cindy.

"Hope you're ok, Ir. Wherever you are" he whispered, while stroking his fingers against the very first picture he had taken of her.

* * *

His phone was buzzing. Prompto groaned in his sleep and shifted in bed, trying to ignore the vibrating sound coming from the bedside table. When it didn't stop, the blonde sat up in bed and grabbed the phone, swiped his finger on the screen and answered the call.

"What?" he asked, his voice still croaky.

"Rise and shine, kiddo. It's time to go".

"Gladio?" Prompto was so surprised to hear the muscular man's voice that he immediately forgot how sleepy he was "Go where?"

"The Citadel" the man on the other line answered "You might wanna come down to ol' Cid's garage and meet up with me, Iggy and… well, you'll see by yourself".

Gladio hung up before Prompto could even try and ask what the hell he was talking about. Curiosity finally piqued, the blonde stood up and went to the bathroom. For some reason he couldn't explain, his heart had started hammering against his chest. Gladio's voice had sounded so hopeful and happy, like he hadn't heard in a very long time. Something good must have happened, and that gave the gunslinger just as much hope. However, he forced himself not to set his expectations too high, because he had been disappointed many times before and didn't want to risk picking up the pieces of his broken heart once again.

He wore his usual hunter's uniform since his Crownsguard one didn't fit him anymore, for he had grown some inches and had developed a lot more muscles during the years.

He left the motel room, waving at the manager –who was technically his landlord- on his way to the gas station.

The bright lights kept him safe from the Daemons crawling around the surrounding, dark areas. Prompto noticed how they had increased in number and stature.

When he finally arrived at the garage, he saw a lot of people gathered together and forming some sort of circle.

"Excuse me!" he said, while trying to make his way through the small crowd "Yeah, I've been invited".

"Took your time, Prom".

The voice that spoke his name made his heart stop for a second. Prompto was actually sure he had stopped breathing for a while as he stared wide-eyed at the person in front of him.

His best friend, Noctis, the prince… no, wait! King. King of Lucis was smiling warmly at him. He had grown a beard and was a bit taller but was overall the same as always.

Prompto blinked several times, unable to say anything until someone patted him on the back.

"Cat got your tongue?"

He snapped his head to his left so quickly it hurt his neck. If he thought he couldn't be more surprised, he was definitely wrong for in front of him was standing none other than Iris Amicitia herself.

He could only stare at her, taking in the small yet significant changes in her person: her hair was much longer, her curves more prominent and she simply looked more mature in general.

He noticed how she was staring at him just as fervently, as if she couldn't tell whether he was really Prompto or not. He thought he hadn't changed that much, but felt a blush rise to his cheeks when he remembered he had let a goatee grow on his face. He thought it made him look more adult, but suddenly wished he had shaved before coming to the meeting.

"Hey there" she said after what felt like forever.

"Hey" he replied incredulous. It felt so surreal to be reunited with his best friend and the girl of his dreams after ten, long years. Noctis stepped closer and put an arm around the blonde's shoulders, trying to show him just how much he had missed him and his stupid puns.

When he finally let go of him, Prompto automatically turned to Iris, as if expecting her to hug him or something. When she didn't however, he simply rubbed the back of his head.

Why was she staring at him like that? As if it was the first time she saw him. Must have been the goatee. Yes, definitely. He mentally noted to get rid of it as soon as he had the chance.

Iris was at a loss for words, too. She had traveled for so long, with the help of her faithful Quicksilver until she had seen a van driving on the dark and deserted road. The driver had stopped, letting her on board and, boy, she was shocked when she realized the young man was none other than Talcott! And he had managed to find Noctis on his way to Hammerhead, too!

The two friends had hugged each other in silence, for words were not needed. Talcott had been almost exclusively the only one speaking during their car ride to Cid's garage, and he had made sure to contact Gladio so that he could warn the others about their arrival.

Gladio had been the first to arrive, almost stumbling in his rush to get to them, and especially to his long lost sister. They had hugged for several minutes before letting go upon hearing the sound of Ignis's footsteps. The man was sadly still blind, but he had managed to live with it. He could now walk without the help of a stick –or anything or anyone else, really- had improved his cooking skills despite the lack of eyesight as well as his fighting skills. He was fully independent and kept his stoic demeanor.

And still, there was no trace of Prompto. Iris had been waiting for him in particular, mainly to remember the way he looked, how his voiced sounded, what he smelled like.

When he had finally arrived, she was so nervous and excited that she almost felt sick. He had simply stepped inside the garage, staring wide-eyed at the man she loved without saying a word. And suddenly, all of her memories were restored. Just like it had happened with Noctis, Ignis and Gladio, she could remember everything about him: his punk-like and easy-going demeanor, his melodic voice, the fresh scent that his clothes carried, his rebellious blond hair, his sparkling crystal-blue eyes, that scar on his left eyebrow that had never really faded away…

It was overwhelming, and so she simply stared at him, taking in the slightest changes in his person: he was taller and more muscular, his eyes were still sparkling with life but seemed somehow haunted too, and –she almost burst into laughter- he had grown a goatee.

"Sooo, what's the plan?" Prompto finally broke the ice as he joined the others, and Iris's attention focused on the present again.

"A very simple one. We're taking back what's always been ours" Noctis answered with a smirk, visibly happy to be reunited with his friends after such a long time "It's time to end this once and for all".

* * *

 **Next Chapter: the party returns to Insomnia after ten years, reminiscing their childhood memories. Noctis reveals what he's destined to do in order to restore light. As Noctis faces Ardyn and his fate, the four Kingsglaives fight their way through Daemons, receiving support from an unexpected crowd...**


	25. Taking Back The Crown

**Heya beautiful people! Just wanted to say this is the second to last chapter before the outro and, eventually, the second part of this story! Enjoy ^^**

* * *

Talcott had offered to drive the five of them to the Citadel, expertly avoiding the Daemons crawling at the side of the road. Just like all the others, the young man had come a long way and had fulfilled his dream to become a professional hunter and avenge his grandfather. During the car ride, they got the opportunity to change outfit in the back of the van, boys first and then Iris. Noctis was now wearing his royal outfit, and the rest of them the Kingsglaive garbs, including one for their female party member. It was actually not really meant for her, more like an extra one in case they needed it, and therefore was a bit large for her, but she couldn't complain. Iris had always loved the way the dark outfit looked on the royal guards of King Regis, but loved it even more now seeing how perfectly it fitted Prompto, highlighting his fare skin and blue eyes even more. He had also shaved his goatee, and looked ten years younger now, just like the Prompto she remembered.

"I'm afraid I can't go any further" Talcott said, parking the car at the city gates "But I will be waiting for your return. Because I know you will be victorious today".

They all nodded and smiled at him before walking all together toward the Crown City, where all of them had grown up. Memories from their childhood came rushing to them, almost making them feel sick. They walked past their old school, the park where Prompto used to take pictures of passersby, the café where Ignis used to take them for a good Ebony, Gladio's favorite gym and Noctis and Prompto's meeting spot –the arcade.

Iris felt tears in her eyes when they walked past their parents' house, which was now empty and dark.

The city itself looked just like it had always been before their departure, but everything was dark, and people were completely gone with only Daemons left to walk its countless streets.

"You'll have a lot of work to do after everything's over" Noctis said suddenly.

"You mean _you_ will have a lot of work to do, right? I mean, you're the King here" Prompto replied with a smirk. It was nice to see how he hadn't changed at all even after ten years.

"No. I mean you" Noctis continued sadly "I won't be around to help, I'm afraid".

Upon hearing his words, everyone stopped in their tracks.

"What do you mean?" Gladio asked alarmed.

"I am the King of Light, the chosen one to restore peace and prosperity in Eos with the help of the Six. But that requires a sacrifice" Noctis finally explained after a long pause. His voice was shaking slightly but he refused to break down.

"What?" Prompto was shocked at the thought of losing his best friend again, and this time forever "I won't let that happen to you, buddy!"

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do" the prince smiled a sad smile "This is our last adventure, guys".

No one spoke after that, too shocked to say anything. Iris wasn't sure she could do this knowing one of her best friends would never return.

They kept walking in silence toward the majestic Citadel that had always been Noctis's home.

"That bastard will pay for this" Gladio said through gritted teeth while taking a look around "For all he's done and will do".

"Let's keep the rage to ourselves for now, yes?" Ignis intervened stoically "You will want to focus on the task ahead, and a clear mind will definitely help much more than jumping into battle without being mentally prepared. We are indeed fighting a formidable foe, who enjoys messing with our heads. Let us not forget that".

"Right" Noctis nodded.

The Daemons they encountered were incredibly powerful, of a type that Iris had never seen before. But Ignis, Gladio and Prompto seemed accustomed to them, having dealt with them for ten years now, and could easily spot their weak points. It took much longer for her and Noctis to get the hang of it.

They took a shortcut through the subway and finally arrived at the Citadel. Ardyn was waiting for them at the top of the stairs, smiling down at them almost in a paternal way.

"So you've all made it" he said calmly "I will be waiting inside, Your Highness". He bowed down at Noctis. "In the meantime, why don't you _warm up_ a bit?"

He snapped his fingers and laughed malevolently before disappearing behind the tall doors to the Citadel. Upon his command, the last god appeared, the only one that had never been tamed by Lady Lunafreya and had never joined Noctis's cause.

Ifrit, the god of fire, was nonchalantly sitting on his throne in the middle of the square, surrounded by blazing flames and lazily staring down at them, as if not considering them worthy opponents.

The five friends stared at each other and then nodded, before proceeding with a direct attack. The Kingsglaive garbs were especially made to resist any elemental magic, but they were not fireproof so they needed to be very careful.

Ignis was dealing a great deal of damage with his ice spells lent to him by Noctis, and the refreshing breeze felt like a balm on their heated skin.

"Nice one, Specs!" Noctis shouted proudly while teleporting around the battleground, dodging the mighty god's attacks. One of his flames, however, managed to find its way to the prince, setting his cloak on fire. Noctis was lying on the floor, desperately trying to roll around to get rid of the flames. Prompto ran by his side and began punching him, managing to put out the fire and effectively rescuing his best friend.

"Thanks, Prompto".

"Hey, no sweat! Aha!" the blonde laughed, stopping when no one joined him "Ehm, got it? Fire – sweat? No? Whatever".

The fight was a fierce one, as the god refused to be defeated by those mortals that he obviously considered inferior. Noctis had had enough, however, and finally called forth the power of his favorite goddess, the icy Shiva.

She elegantly flew among them, stroking their cheeks and sending pleasant chills down their spines before standing to face Ifrit. Her attack was incredibly effective, freezing their foe and allowing them to land the final blow.

When Ifrit disappeared, the square outside the Citadel was half covered in fire and half in ice. The five friends were panting heavily, recovering from the long and strenuous battle.

"And on we go" Noctis was the first to stand up and march toward his home, determined to fulfill his mission.

They finally stepped inside, each one of them remembering a particular episode they had spent within those walls. Iris couldn't believe she had last been at the Citadel ten years ago.

Noctis was now standing in front of the throne room, where they all knew Ardyn would be waiting. He opened the doors without a second thought, with his four friends behind him.

Ardyn was sitting on the throne, smirking at them. But that was not what made their blood boil with anger: on the ceiling he had hung the bodies of King Regis and Lady Lunafreya, a macabre decoration he had chosen to provoke them even more.

"Are you here for the throne, Noct? I'm afraid it only fits one" Ardyn said calmly, his smirk never leaving his face "And what about you, Iris? Did you find out how to use the true powers of the Quicksilver? I bet not".

"Son of a…!"

Gladio never managed to finish his sentence, for Ardyn snapped his fingers once more and they all fell unconscious.

* * *

Iris opened her eyes, which felt uncommonly heavy. She wasn't even tired, just very confused. Ardyn must have done something to them so that he could face Noctis alone.

She stood up, making sure Gladio, Ignis and Prompto were still breathing. Iris wasn't sure how long they had been out cold, but everything was strangely calm and quiet. She didn't like it, feeling suddenly very agitated.

"Guys! Guys, wake up!" she shouted, shaking the boys lying motionless on the cold floor.

They began stirring and moving upon hearing her pleading cries, and sat up.

"What the hell happened?" Gladio asked, massaging his head.

"Ardyn" Ignis replied "Where are they now? Ardyn and Noct?"

"I bet they're outside" Prompto stood up first and helped Ignis in the process "Let's go!"

They all rushed through the myriad of doors of the Citadel, their footsteps making contact with the granite floor were the only sound they could hear, until they found themselves crossing the square and reaching the city's main road, where Ardyn's body was lying down, his eyes closed and a single trickle of blood streaming down his face from his forehead. Noctis was kneeling down in front of him.

"You did it" Iris said in a whisper. Noctis nodded at her, but there wasn't any trace of joy on his face.

"What happens now?" Prompto asked worried, knowing fully well what came next.

"I'm going back in" Noctis explained simply, unable to look at them in the eyes.

"So, this is farewell" Ignis spoke suddenly, his voice still calm and stoic. Noctis nodded again, even though he knew Ignis couldn't see him.

Prompto lowered his head, once again words failing him. How did one bid farewell to their best friend –or better- brother? How did one erase the pain and the sorrow that were overwhelming him in that moment? He was so lost in his own thoughts that he barely registered what the King was saying.

"…walk tall, my friends". And, just like that, he was gone behind the majestic doors of the Palace. Prompto couldn't believe it was going to end like that. This was not fair. Was Noctis's dark cloak really the last thing he would see of his friend?

The others were just as sad, and Iris's cheeks were wet with tears but they were suddenly interrupted by the roar of Daemons resurfacing from the darkness.

Prompto let his frustration and anger take over, summoning his guns and firing away first. The others followed suit.

The enemies were many, and kept coming until all they could see was dark figures all around them.

Even doing their very best didn't seem to be enough, and Ignis eventually fell onto the ground, hit by a nasty-looking Red Giant.

"This is not good!" Gladio exclaimed, rushing by Ignis's side to help him stand up "Come on, Noct!"

And then, they saw a soothing light in the distant. Or better, _many_ lights. To their surprise, they were not coming from the Citadel as they had expected, but from the entrance of the city. Countless of candles, torches, flashlights, cars and any other object capable of producing a source of light were being carried by the former citizens of Insomnia.

They were marching neatly side by side, like a disciplined troop, toward the Daemons which began retreating at the sight of their greatest fear.

Iris's eyes widened when she recognized in the first line the faces of her mother and her father, as well as her uncle. And Cor was there too, leading them into the city.

"What's happening?" Ignis asked confused when he realized the Daemons were backing away and the others had fallen silent.

"The citizens of Insomnia… they're all here… with light" Gladio tried to explain, too surprised to add anything else but that seemed to be satisfying enough for Ignis.

"Prompto!"

Prompto's head snapped toward the source of the sound, and he locked eyes with those of his parents, who were now running toward him with tears in their eyes. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out of it. He simply let them embrace him tightly, too overwhelmed to even pat them on the shoulder.

His mother cupped his face and kissed him multiple times on the cheeks before hugging him again.

"I thought… I thought…" she sobbed uncontrollably.

"I'm fine, mom. It's so good to see you" he managed to whisper in her ear, gently stroking her hair.

"I'm so sorry we weren't there to say goodbye! If we had only known…" she cried, but Prompto hushed her with a sweet smile.

"It's ok, mom… dad. I'm just glad you're alright".

"You've grown so much! Look what a fine, young man you've become!" her mother took a step back to take a better look at her son in his Kingsglaive garb, a look of pride in her sparkling eyes. One could hardly tell they were not his real parents right now, for the light in their eyes was identical.

Prompto's father proceeded to ruffle his hair, just as Gladio and Iris's parents approached them.

Unlike Prompto's, Iris's mother and father didn't start crying or running toward them. They simply smiled proudly at their children, giving them a "I knew you'd make it"-look.

They did hug nevertheless, finally reunited after so many years.

Iris shyly waved at some of her old schoolmates she saw among the crowd. She couldn't help but smile when she saw many of them whispering into each other's ears, pointing their fingers at them with a look of awe.

The Daemons behind them were still roaring, having found shelter in the darkness still engulfing the city.

Ignis, Gladio, Iris and Prompto all turned in unison to face them, a look of determination on their faces.

Prompto felt someone grabbing him by the arm. It was his mother.

"It's ok, mom. I've got this" he smiled at her reassuringly, unable to conceal the look of pride on his face. It was time to show them all what he got. That he was not an Imperial who had been adopted by a Lucian family. He _was_ a Lucian, and he was just as strong and worthy as Gladio, Ignis, Iris and Noctis

He briefly glanced sideways and was surprised to see how many familiar faces there were in the crowd, including some of his former teachers and schoolmates, many from high school, even more from elementary school, when they used to bully him all the time for being fat and always on his own, taking stupid pictures of random things and dreaming of becoming the King's guard. He even locked eyes with Regine, the girl who had accepted to go out on a date with him only to ask him to introduce her to Noct.

It was time to prove them all wrong, to prove he had always belonged.

Prompto focused his attention on the massive Daemons in front of him, conjuring his guns and aiming them at the first enemy he saw. He pulled the trigger and then it was mayhem.

The Daemons didn't dare getting too close to the lights, and so Ignis and Gladio, who all wielded close-range weapons, were forced to step into the darkness to stand a chance against them as Prompto and Iris kept shooting from afar. Prompto was grinning widely as he used a whole clip on a particularly tough Naga in the close distance, sending it K.O. shortly after. However, he didn't expect a Red Giant to step out of the darkness and charge straight at him.

"Prompto, look out!"

He heard many people screaming his name, and he turned just in time to see the huge monster aiming its fist at him.

Prompto dodged the attack by rolling out of the way, just in time to see the fist hit the exact spot where he had been standing mere moments before.

"You OK?" Iris asked, running toward him. Prompto gave her the thumbs up to signal he was unharmed, and decided it was time to fight with all he got. No more messing around, or he would be dead meat before Noct could restore Light.

However, he couldn't help but smirk when he noticed the look of pure hatred that Regine sent in Iris's way when she had approached him to check up on him.

"Someone you know?" Iris whispered in his ear, locking eyes with the girl staring at them in the crowd. Apparently, Iris had noticed too.

"Ehm, an old acquaintance" Prompto winked at her and returned to focus on the Red Giant, which was preparing to strike again. To his horror, he noticed how the Daemon was not targeting him or Iris, but the crowd itself. It probably wanted to get rid of all that light before it was too late.

"Crap!" he shouted, running to stand between the monster and the citizens.

"What the hell are you doing, Prompto?" Iris shouted back, but then understood what was going on. "Crap, indeed". Iris quickly grabbed her stone and held it up in the air. To her immense relief, it seemed to work for the Red Giant was now paralyzed in the process of trying to get rid of the innocent crowd with its mighty fist.

"Nice one, Ir!" Prompto grinned at her, before instructing the crowd to move further down the street, away from danger.

"I'm so sorry for calling you a loser back in school, dude" a robust guy said to Prompto, eying his uniform in awe "You're freakin' awesome!"

"Eh, thanks, I guess?" Prompto laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

The girl, Regine, took her chance and rushed to Prompto's side, stuffing a piece of paper in a pocket of his long, black coat. "My number" she winked at him seductively, and Iris felt the blood boil in her veins.

"Prompto, whenever you're done flirting maybe you might wanna come and help?" she said angrily, sensing that the spell of the Quicksilver was about to crumble.

"There in a jiffy!" he yelled and ran back to where the Red Giant was quickly breaking free.

Prompto made sure Gladio and Ignis were still doing fine by quickly glancing in their direction, and then proceeded to shoot more rounds at the gigantic monster.

Iris worked with him, occasionally dodging the Daemon's deadly attacks until it fell on its knees and vanished into the darkness.

"Wohoo!" Prompto wiped the sweat from his forehead, giving a victory sign to his parents who were still staring in their direction with a look of pure shock and awe on their faces "Nice job, Ir!"

But the girl wasn't listening to him. The Quicksilver was glowing like never before, sending crimson sparkles in every direction.

"Iris, is that…?"

Iris's father had approached her daughter, staring intently at the stone she was holding in her hand.

"The legendary Quicksilver… How did you get it?" Cor joined the conversation.

"It's a long story" the girl shrugged her shoulders "I think it's trying to tell me something".

"You must go and help the King" her father said firmly, placing his hands on her shoulders and looking into her eyes "It is your job as a guardian. Help the King restore the Light. It is time to fulfill your duty, my child".

"What am I supposed to do?" Iris asked back, confused. She had no idea what it was required of her.

"If the legends are true, the stone will guide you. Just go!" her father gave her an encouraging smile.

"Iris, where're you going?" Prompto yelled after her when he noticed the girl running toward the Citadel.

"Just hold those bad guys back for me, will ya? I'll be back soon!" she shouted back at him in response.

Prompto couldn't help but be worried, as last time she had told him she would be back soon, she had returned after ten years.

* * *

 **I had lots of fun writing this chapter and the following ones! I know it doesn't really show it in the anime, but for some reason I imagine young Prompto to be constantly bullied in school because of his weight and poor social skills. And I wanted him to get his revenge *v***

 **Next Chapter: following the directions given by the Quicksilver, Iris will soon need to make a choice. The most important in her life. With Noctis having only seconds to live, will she manage to help him restore Light as well as save his life? [!Final Chapter!]**


	26. What Your Heart Desires

**So this is it: the last chapter! HOWEVER, this story is not quite finished yet! As I told you before, I have written a sequel which I will be posting shortly. It is called "Against All Odds", and that marks the end of this story ^v^ So check it out if you want :)**

* * *

She was running once more through the countless corridors of the Citadel, following the direction indicated by the Quicksilver which shone brighter at each turn she took correctly.

She made her way to the throne room, having no idea what she would be doing next, or what she would find. She could only hope that Noctis was still alive…

She pushed open the heavy doors and immediately stopped.

Noctis was sitting on the throne, his body limp and motionless. His head was bowed down, resting on his chest as if he was sleeping.

"No… no, no, no!" she rushed by his side and pressed her fingers on the spot where she could feel the weak pulse of the carotid. He was still alive, but only just. He didn't have much time left.

"What should I do?!" she asked in frustration, holding the stone in mid-air and staring intently at it as if expecting a response "Please, show me how to save him".

The stone didn't do anything, merely sending its crimson sparkles in every direction.

As Iris's frustration grew more and more, she growled and was almost tempted to throw the stone across the room. She froze, however, when she felt the stone heat up in her hand. It was almost unbearable, but she forced herself to hold on. Her sixth sense told her she was not supposed to drop it, and so she focused on the Quicksilver instead than the pain.

When she thought she couldn't take it anymore, the stone lit up even more until the whole throne room was painted crimson and then she heard His voice. Bahamut's voice.

"You kept your promise, Guardian".

Iris couldn't see the god, and it seemed to her that he was speaking to her directly from the stone itself.

"You did good. The gods are with you and the King of Light. Now make your choice".

Iris didn't know what was expected of her. Make her choice? What did it mean?

"Keep the stone, and you will become immortal and powerful. Use the stone to its fullest power, and you will lose it forever. However, you may save more than a life by doing so…"

Iris didn't dare say a word, merely letting the stone do the rest. She glanced at Noctis, who was still unconscious, and suddenly understood what Bahamut meant.

She walked toward her king and held the stone in front of her, as if offering it to him. The Quicksilver briefly hovered over her hand before shining so bright it blinded her, and then disappeared inside Noctis's chest, where his heart was located.

The crimson color had faded, and the room had returned into a semi shade. Iris stared silently at the young king, still lying motionless. Was something supposed to happen? She couldn't hear Bahamut's voice any longer, and wondered if that was it.

And then, out of the blue, Noctis opened his eyes, which were no longer his usual deep-blue, but crimson red. He didn't seem to notice her presence, and looked like he was in too much in pain to even register anything else around him. He wrapped his arms around his chest and gasped heavily. Iris's ears were now filled with a long, high-pitched scream as a blinding light filled the room. She was sure the entire city was now engulfed in that light, powerful enough to wipe the fiercest of Daemons away.

When she could see again, she wasn't in the throne room. The room she was in now was completely white, a pure and celestial white. There was absolutely nothing in that mysterious yet peaceful place and she simply waited for something to happen. Finally, she saw six figures approaching her.

She stared open-mouthed as the six gods stepped proudly toward her, with a soothing smile on their faces. Bahamut was walking ahead of the others, surrounded by his powerful aura of wisdom.

"Iris Amicitia, the last guardian of the Quicksilver, the almighty stone by us created to save the humans' world from darkness and devastation. You did good, using the stone only when deemed necessary, protecting it with your life and fulfilling your duty as last guardian by assisting the King of Light in restoring peace onto your world. Many others, wiser and stronger than you, have fallen victim to their own greed and thirst for power, causing war and devastation. You made your choice, proving that your spirit is pure and foreign to temptation, and needs therefore to be rewarded".

Iris listened intently, unable to understand what was actually going on.

"Tell me, oh Guardian, what is it that your heart desires?"

Iris blinked multiple times at the question. Was he actually willing to make one of her wishes come true? And in that case, what would that be?

She immediately thought of Eos and the state it was in. She could probably ask to bring it back as it once was. But she thought that they could easily restore its old glory with a bit of work. Definitely not a godly job…

Her mind wandered off to Prompto, and how wonderful it would be for him to feel the same about her. But she was not going to ask a freaking god to help her with her sentimental life. She wanted him to love her genuinely, not because a god had made him.

And then she remembered that Noctis was the one who had actually been through the worst: he had lost so much in the past ten years, and even his life in the very end. She couldn't accept that. He deserved a better ending than that.

She looked up at Bahamut with a firm expression, and opened her mouth to speak. The god, however, preceded her.

"Providence requires sacrifice. So it has been written. However, the gods take pity on the young king. The King of Light shall have a long and prosperous life together with his significant other, Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret. However, I am afraid this is the best we can do for you right now. Your heart craves a happy reunion, but not even us gods can bring back all the lives that have been lost. King Regis being one of them, he fought valiantly to protect the Crystal and accepted his fate beforehand. We shall let King Noctis Lucis Caelum and Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret continue with the Lucis blood line and restore light upon your world, not more than that. We shall reclaim the Quicksilver and the Crystal in return. The war doesn't end with it, and it will still be up to you to defend your kingdom from external attacks. However, we are confident that the major menace has been fended off and, with the help of his Kingsglaive, the King of Light shall bring peace once and for all in Eos".

Iris bowed down to show her gratitude, feeling however suddenly empty without the Quicksilver with her. But if that meant Noctis and Luna could return and live a happy life together, she would gladly sacrifice that.

When she lifted her head again, she was back in the throne room, completely alone.

She looked up at the ceiling and noticed that the bodies of King Regis and Lady Lunafreya had vanished as well.

She waited for several minutes and, when nothing happened, she decided to head outside and check up on the others.

When she stepped outside, she immediately frowned as the bright daylight hit her face. She placed one hand on her forehead to shield herself –she wasn't definitely used to all that light anymore- and walked to the main street.

She could hear people yelling and, feeling alarmed, quickened her pace, fearing that something bad had happened to one of her friends or families.

She stopped as her heart did a flip when she saw none other than Noctis standing in the middle of the roaring crowd, hand in hand with Lady Lunafreya, looking tired but happy. She locked eyes with the king, and he smiled gratefully at her and nodded in her direction. She smiled back, feeling her heart swelling up and the warmth spreading in her body. She was happy, like she hadn't been in over ten years. Noctis and Luna were alive, her family was alive, her friends were alive!

She quickly joined the others as they celebrated the happily reunited couple and immediately met Prompto's gaze. He gave her his usual victory sign and grinned widely at her, a look of pride on his face. She couldn't help but smile just as widely back, his grin so contagious! When she thought she couldn't be happier, a chilly wind danced around them and engulfed Ignis, who simply stood in place with a frown, trying to understand what was happening. When the wind ceased shortly after, Ignis suddenly dropped his dark glasses and placed both his hands on his face.

"I-I…" he stuttered, at a loss for words. He lifted his head, and everyone could stare amazed at his perfectly smooth face which held no trace of the terrible scars that had once traversed it.

Iris was pretty sure she could no longer hold back the tears of joy dwelling in her eyes, and simply let them flow as she joined the others in hugging Iggy. She had never seen him cry or lose control, really. But she thought the situation allowed it, for this was better than any happy ending she had ever seen at the theater when her classmates dragged her to see some overly romantic movie.

When they finally let the spectacled man go, Iris found herself face to face with the king and his bride-to-be, smiling warmly at her.

"Thank you" Noctis said simply, but the tone of his voice carried a strong message, just like Luna's smile.

Iris wanted to say so many things but words failed her as her eyes fell on Prompto, apparently very busy talking to that Regine girl who was sneaking her way through him, intertwining one arm with his.

Noctis chuckled when he realized what had caught her attention, and nudged her in the side.

"Go talk to him! It might be better than you think" he winked at her, before returning his attention to his beloved one.

But Iris, who had faced the most dangerous Daemons that had walked the earth, had protected a legendary stone for ten years and had faced the six gods themselves, couldn't muster the courage to approach that blond guy that had so skillfully carved a special place into her heart.

She simply let him talk to that annoying-looking girl and walked away from the crowd, smiling sheepishly at their parents who were now talking to Gladio and a delighted Ignis, who was looking amazed as he could finally see again.

Prompto's trained eye, however, didn't miss this and immediately let go of the other girl's hand. He kinda liked the attention of a girl, but all that mattered to him in that moment was her, and her only –his Iris. His beautiful, brave Iris.

"Iris!" he called after her, speeding up to keep up with her.

"What do you want, Prompto?" she asked more rudely than she had intended, turning around to face him with crossed arms.

"Hey, what have I done?" he asked with a look of hurt.

"Nothing" she shrugged her shoulders but refusing to untangle her arms.

He stared at her in silence, as if pondering something, until a large grin broke onto his face.

"A-ha! You're jealous!" he said, pointing a finger at her.

"Wh-what? M-me? Jealous? In your dreams, blondie!" she tried to defend herself, hating how her voice sounded so high-pitched and nervous.

"Gotcha!" he teased with a smirk.

"Prompto Argentum! Explain how I could ever be jealous because you're talking to another girl. You're perfectly free to do whatever you want with whoever you desire. It is none of my concern" she said stoically, pretending not to care.

"Rrrright" he frowned but still smirking. "Nah, you're definitely jealous" he continued after a short pause "I mean, of course you'd be. Look at this bad boy!" He indicated himself "Lookin' smokin' hot in his Kingsglaive uniform".

Iris couldn't believe that guy! How cheeky could he be?

"And smokin' hot guys go with smokin' hot girls, am I right?" he said seductively.

"Well go ahead then, I won't stop ya" she retorted annoyed, her blood boiling with anger and jealousy consuming her.

"What?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"Didn't think you were that stupid, Prompto. I mean, I know you're blond and everything, but really? A girl like _that_?" Iris tilted her chin forward to indicate the girl who was still staring in their general direction "At least Cindy's got some brains".

"What're you talking about?" he asked once more, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"I'm talking about you and that girl you've been flirting with all day, genius! Go to her, she's obviously waiting for you" Iris replied angrily, and started to turn around to leave, but he grabbed her by the arm, laughing whole-heartedly.

"I… can't… believe this!" he said, unable to control his fit of laughter "And then you call _me_ stupid?"

Iris raised an eyebrow at him, giving him a questioning look.

"I mean, the blond part was really offensive, Ir. Seriously. And, just for the records, I wasn't referring to Regine".

Iris blinked a few times, waiting for him to continue.

"When I said smokin' hot girl I meant _you_ , silly!" he lightly smacked her forehead while plastering his usual smirk on his face.

Iris didn't know what to say, feeling suddenly very stupid as heat rose to her cheeks, making her blush furiously.

"Soooo, eh…" Prompto continued, rubbing the back of his head as he always did when he was embarrassed "Ehm, maybe… we could… go out for a bite when this place has been fixed?"

He almost wanted to smack himself for sounding so awkward: he had, after all, had some experiences with other girls during those ten years, and yet he found himself stuttering like a teenage boy when asking her out.

Iris didn't reply immediately, and he was starting to feel nervous, but she eventually smiled broadly at him and nodded.

"Yeah, I would love to!"

* * *

 **Next Chapter: a sneak-peak of what's going to happen in the sequel :)**


	27. Outro

A lonely figure with a long, dark coat was marching steadily towards the Crown City, stopping outside its gates and waiting…

"Identify yourself!" the voice of a guard commended authoritatively. The figure remained silent.

"Outta the way! Prompto!"

The blonde heard Gladio's voice, quickly followed by others.

"Wait! It might be a trap!"

"I don't care, Cor! Let him in!"

He watched as the gates opened to reveal the worried faces of Gladio, Ignis and Noctis. Cor was standing by the King, looking livid.

"Prompto!" Noctis cried as he ran towards his friend and did something he had never done before: he hugged him.

"Noct…" Ignis said. Prompto didn't miss the alarm in his tone.

"Your Highness, you might wanna take a better look at your 'friend'" Cor warned with a look of disdain on his face.

Noctis stepped back and stared at Prompto's impassive face, then at the garbs he was wearing.

"Prom…?" he asked tentatively.

"My name" the blonde's voice sounded glacial and mechanical "is Damian Xanthus Besithia, son of Verstael Besithia of Gralea, and Lieutenant General of the Imperial Army. My father and I have plotted an attack against the city of Insomnia, and got rid of some of your Crownsguards in between".

"What the hell are you talking about, Prompto?" Noctis whispered wide-eyed. He was absolutely shocked at his best friend's words.

Prompto could hear the sound of more approaching ships and understood that it was time. He grabbed his rifle and pointed it against his former best friend. "This is your downfall, Noctis Lucis Caelum".

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, everyone! It's been quite a positive response, and I** **would** **never** **have imagined so many of you could be interested in this story T_T Special thanks to those who followed/favorited and took the time to review and make my days better with your kind words! So, I'll be waiting for you all in the sequel! For all of you who would like to know how this story ends, search for "Against All Odds", which should be posted either tomorrow or the day after ^^ Peeeace out!  
**


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